As the COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out in India in phase wise, experts in India have urged people to delay planning a pregnancy until two months after they get the vaccine against Covid-19.
This comes a day after the World Health Organisation recommended against the use of the vaccine during pregnancy except in those at high risk of exposure or having a severe case.
However, the WHO said it doesn’t recommend pregnancy testing before vaccination, nor does it recommend delaying pregnancy following vaccination. However, he stated that lactating women be offered the vaccines, saying that the shots are unlikely to pose a risk to breastfeeding children.
Pregnancy alters the body’s immune system and its response to viral infections in general, which can occasionally be reflected in more severe symptoms. This holds true for Covid-19 as well.
Pregnant or lactating women have not been part of any Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial, and so women who are pregnant or not sure of their pregnancy, as well as lactating women, should not receive the vaccine at this time, experts have said.
This is also part of the Health Ministry advisory.
