Covid-19 vaccine: Scottish researchers dispel coronavirus vaccine miscarriage myth

Scottish and English researchers have found there is no link between the Covid-19 vaccine and miscarriages in research that goes towards dispelling several online conspiracy theories.

A joint project, including scientists from Edinburgh University, Imperial College and University College London, researched pregnancy outcomes in 149,685 women, combining data from 21 different studies.

The researchers found no increase in miscarriage or reduction in live birth rates in women who received a Covid-19 vaccine, when compared to women who did not receive a vaccine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The report reads: “In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the mass roll-out of vaccines helped to boost herd immunity and reduced hospital admissions, morbidity and mortality. Still, many were concerned about the safety of vaccines for pregnancy, which may have limited their uptake among pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy.”

A nurse preparing to give a patient a vaccine Picture: PAA nurse preparing to give a patient a vaccine Picture: PA
A nurse preparing to give a patient a vaccine Picture: PA

Researchers found the pooled rate of miscarriage among women who received a Covid-19 vaccine was 9 per cent. Compared to those who received a placebo or no vaccination, women who received a Covid-19 vaccine did not have a higher risk of miscarriage.

One of the report’s authors, Dr Mike Rimmer, a specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology and clinical academic based at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This study adds to a growing body of research investigating the impact of the Covid-19 vaccine on miscarriage and live birth. From the studies we identified, there appears to be no increase in rates of miscarriage or reduction in live birth rates in women who received a Covid-19 vaccine compared to women who did not receive a vaccine.

“Further research is needed, including high quality randomised trials, to investigate the impact of Covid-19 vaccines in pregnancy, however. I hope these findings will reassure women who wish to make informed choices for themselves and their babies.”

The report states that “a key challenge” of the Covid pandemic was “the role of mass media misinformation that often undermined efforts to promote key prevention strategies”, like mask-wearing, social distancing and vaccination.

“Generally, concerns about the safety of vaccines in pregnancy could be attributed to the generic immunological and inflammatory response that could impact fetal implantation and embryogenesis,” the report reads.

“However, in the case of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, there were concerns disseminated on social media platforms claiming higher risk of miscarriage due to the formation of antibodies that could cross the placenta and bind to the spike protein called syncytin-1, a critical protein in the formation of the syncytiotrophoblast layer of the human placenta and embryogenesis

“Several studies have come out since to disprove these claims, with no evidence from immunological studies to support such interaction. Our findings further support the lack of harmful evidence pending larger, better-quality studies at a population level.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Six vaccines were used in included studies. These included Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm and Sinovac-CoronaVac doses.

Ten studies reported on pregnancy outcomes following at least one vaccine dose, eight studies reported pregnancy outcomes following two doses and one study reported outcomes after a third booster dose.

Infection rates for Covid in Scotland have sat between about 2 to 4 per cent at any one time since the start of August last year.

Related topics:

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.