Results published in the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Journal, F&S Reports.
Study: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein seropositivity from vaccination or infection does not cause sterility
Reports claiming that COVID-19 vaccines or illness cause female sterility are unfounded. In a recent study published in ASRM’s Fertility & Sterility F&S Reports, Randy Morris, M.D. used frozen embryo transfer as a model for comparing the implantation rates between SARS-CoV-2 vaccine seropositive, infection seropositive, and seronegative women. His study concluded that there was no difference found in serum hCG documented implantation rates or sustained implantation rates among the three groups.
This study is critical because vaccine hesitancy in reproductive-aged women is concerning and has resulted from the spread of misinformation on social media stating that COVID-19 vaccines will cause sterility in women.
This study documented, for the first time in women, that seropositivity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein — whether from vaccination or COVID infection — does not prevent embryo implantation or early pregnancy development. Physicians and other health professionals must counsel women of reproductive age that neither previous COVID-19 illness nor antibodies produced from vaccination to COVID-19 will cause sterility.
“We hope that all reproductive-aged women will be more confident getting the COVID-19 vaccine, given Dr. Morris’s findings that the vaccine does not cause female sterility,” said Hugh Taylor, M.D., president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). “This, and other studies of this nature, further reinforce the ASRM COVID Task Force guidance that, no matter where you are in the family-building process, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and saves lives.”