Link Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Fertility Success Established
In recent months, concerns have arisen about a potential link between COVID-19 vaccinations and declining fertility rates in Europe. These concerns stem from a Czech study that revealed a significant decline in live births among vaccinated women since the second half of 2021, with birth rates about 50% lower compared to unvaccinated women [1]. However, it's important to note that this study calls for further investigation and does not establish a definitive link between vaccination and reduced fertility.
Extensive studies involving over 1.5 million vaccinated pregnant participants have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in pregnancy and do not indicate any significant safety concerns for mothers or fetuses [2]. These findings suggest no established link between vaccination and reduced fertility based on extensive data.
Beyond vaccination, fertility rates in Europe have been declining due to various socioeconomic and demographic factors. The U.S., which has similar trends, has seen a drop in fertility rates to below replacement levels [4]. These broader trends suggest that while COVID-19 vaccines may be a focus of concern, they are not the sole or primary factor in decreased fertility rates.
In January 2022, the number of children born in the Czech Republic suddenly decreased by about 10%. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of the whole population dropped sharply in January 2022 and has been decreasing ever since, affecting only the vaccinated [5]. However, it's crucial to approach these findings with caution, as the TFR is an independent measure that does not account for the number of women and their age structure.
Notably, some European countries, such as Bulgaria, Spain, and Portugal, have seen increases in fertility (albeit from very low numbers) [6]. On the other hand, countries like Belgium, France, UK, Greece, and Italy have shown a steady decline in TFR over a longer period [7].
The association between Covid-19 vaccination and lower rates of conception has been established, but it's unclear whether this association is causal [8]. Unvaccinated women conceived at about the same rate as all women before the pandemic [9]. The true conception rates for the vaccinated start close to the lower bound in early 2021 and end close to the upper bound in early 2022 [10].
Despite these findings, the continued decrease in fertility rates may lead to a significant fertility crisis in the future, and the reasons for the collapse in fertility are not yet known [11]. It's essential to continue monitoring this situation closely and to conduct further research to clarify these findings.
References:
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-16945-z [2] https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/safety [3] https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pregnancy-and-covid19.html [4] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/05/12/u-s-fertility-rate-remains-at-record-low-and-is-below-replacement-level/ [5] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269817/covid-19-vaccination-rate-in-the-czech-republic/ [6] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/fertility [7] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1161406/total-fertility-rate-in-europe-by-country/ [8] https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/immunization/covid-19-vaccines-and-fertility/en/ [9] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-16945-z [10] Id. [11] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1275045/total-fertility-rate-in-the-czech-republic/
The decrease in health-and-wellness, as indicated by declining fertility rates, has been observed not only in Europe but also in the U.S. [4], which suggests a broader societal issue beyond the impact of COVID-19 vaccines. However, extensive studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccines do not indicate any significant safety concerns for mothers or fetuses and do not establish a definitive link between vaccination and reduced fertility [2]. The association between Covid-19 vaccination and lower rates of conception has been established [8], but it remains unclear whether this association is causal, and further investigation is needed to clarify the situation.
