Before you read about Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy in Australia, we recommend you see our overview on Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy here…
The first vaccine available in Australia is Comirnaty (Pfizer, Australia), which is a mRNA vaccine. In the clinical trial for Comirnaty, 23 women became pregnant while enrolled in the trial. Of these, 11 women received Comirnaty. As of 14 November 2020, their pregnancies are ongoing, and medical experts continue to follow their pregnancies. Medical experts will get more safety information on pregnant women who have chosen to have a COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccines have been available. This will likely be available from countries, like the USA or UK, in the future.
Australian Government Department of Health Guide
As per a detailed guide published by Australian Government Department of Health, the pregnant or lactating women in Australia may follow below recommendations:
If you are breastfeeding you can receive Comirnaty at any time. You do not need to stop breastfeeding before or after vaccination. There is no evidence that breastfeeding women have any increased risk of complications from COVID-19 compared to women who are not breastfeeding. Comirnaty has not yet been tested in breastfeeding women, but there are no concerns about its safety in breastfeeding women or their babies.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you can receive Comirnaty. You do not need to avoid becoming pregnant before or after vaccination. You are not required to have a pregnancy test before getting vaccinated. If you become pregnant after your first dose, you might choose to have the second dose during pregnancy (see below) or you might choose to wait until after your pregnancy. It is important to note that the first dose may only provide partial protection against COVID-19, and this protection may be short-lived. You will only have full protection after two doses.
There is no evidence that women who become pregnant after being vaccinated against COVID-19 have an increased risk of developing complications that affect their pregnancy or their baby’s health.
Finally, already pregnant women should consider having a COVID-19 vaccine during your pregnancy if:
- they have medical risk factors for severe COVID-19 (refer to the Medical conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 section of this information sheet
- they are at high risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 or very likely to be in contact with people with COVID-19.
Here is a list of country-wise guidance on which vaccines are being administered and what is the official stance around vaccination for pregnant women:
