Fact Check: Has The NHS Guidance On COVID-19 Vaccines For Pregnant People Changed?

In the last week, social media rumors have falsely claimed that the UK government “quietly removed” their guidance regarding the Covid-19 vaccine for pregnant people due to “toxicity concerns”. We’re here to fact-check those claims and bring you the latest advice on Covid-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant people.

When it comes to vaccine recommendations, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you and your baby are more likely to suffer severe complications from Covid-19. Taking this into consideration, you should talk with your healthcare provider and weigh the risks and benefits of getting vaccinated.

Has the NHS changed its Covid-19 vaccine guidance for pregnant people?

No, the NHS has not removed their recommendations for the Covid vaccine use in pregnant women despite internet claims. The NHS still recommends those who are pregnant and breastfeeding get vaccinated against covid.

Full Fact, an independent charity designed to investigate and fact-check claims, reached out to the Department of Health and Social Care about the claim and they responded: “The government, clinical and independent advice has not changed – Covid vaccines are safe and highly effective both for pregnant women and for those who are breastfeeding. This is backed by extensive real-world data, including global analysis outside of clinical trials and in healthcare settings”.

Additionally, the department has recently updated guidelines advising pregnant women to be eligible to receive a booster dose in autumn. The department follows the expert recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Where did the false claims about the Covid-19 vaccine recommendations start?

False reports about the updated guidance for pregnant people and the Covid-19 vaccine surrounds confusion around a public report which assessed the Pfizer vaccine back in December 2020, on the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare product regulatory agency’s website (MHRA).

The document is available online and is part of a larger group of documents, one of which has been updated. Following that update, a date was confusingly attached to all documents in the group stating, “Updated 16 August 2022”. A clarification has since been made: “The Public Assessment Report summarises the initial assessment at the time of approval in December 2020. The text in the original report remains unchanged”.

Has Covid-19 vaccine guidance changed in the US?

The CDC’s current advice is that the Covid-19 vaccination is “recommended for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. In addition, everyone who is eligible, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future, should get a booster shot and stay up to date with their Covid-19 vaccines”.

However, it’s important to note that the CDC is currently reviewing this advice to “align with updated guidance” — it’s not clear what changes may be made. We’ll update this post as we know more!

We’ve listed the recommendations from major health organizations here, but ultimately, the choice to be vaccinated is yours and you should speak to your healthcare provider to discuss what’s best for you.

Do you have a question about current Covid-19 advice? Let us know in the comments.

---