A new document published on a British government website warns against giving the new Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to pregnant and breastfeeding women because of potential risks.
The document, “Reg 174 Information for UK Healthcare Professionals,” provides details about the new two-dose vaccine, which could soon be available in the United States and United Kingdom. The company said it is waiting for final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the vaccine already is in production.
According to the document, there is little data about the risks of the vaccine thus far, and animal reproductive toxicity studies are not finished. Therefore, the Pfizer vaccine, BNT162b2, “is not recommended during pregnancy,” the document for medical professionals states.
Women who are breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant also are advised against receiving the vaccine because of unknown possible risks.
The vaccine “should not be used during breast-feeding” because “a risk to the newborns/infants cannot be excluded,” the document states.
It also urges medical professionals to advise women of childbearing age to “avoid pregnancy for at least 2 months after their second dose.”
“For women of childbearing age, pregnancy should be excluded before vaccination,” it continues.
