ST. LOUIS – As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, many are still skeptical and have questions. One of the big questions: can it cause infertility in women?
Dr. Michael Thomure, a SLUCare OB/GYN at SSM Health St. Mary’s hospital and professor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, said the short answer is no.
The rumors about infertility were started from an article that claimed that Pfizer’s vaccine contained ingredient capable of training the female body to attack a protein that plays a crucial role in the development of the placenta.
A doctor from Duke pointed out that the coronavirus spike and the placental protein in question share small stretches of the same genetic code, but not enough to make them a match. She said mixing them up would be like mistaking a rhinoceros for a jaguar because they are wearing the same collar.
Dr. Thomure agrees. He said they are encouraging their patients who are trying to get pregnant or already pregnant to get the vaccine when it’s available to them.
