VACCINE RESOURCE COMMITTEE

of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association

View Full List of Vaccine Questions Here

General Vaccine Question #12:

Do vaccines make people infertile?

Available evidence indicates that vaccines do not cause infertility; to the contrary, there is evidence that some diseases themselves can cause issues with fertility and pregnancy related poor fetal outcomes (i.e.: COVID-19, mumps, rubella).

Available evidence indicates that vaccines do not cause fertility problems for women or men. Fever from any cause has been associated with a short-term decrease in sperm production in healthy men. 

The idea that the COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility is a false rumour spread on social media. There is currently no evidence that vaccine ingredients or antibodies made following COVID-19 vaccination would cause any problems with becoming pregnant now or in the future. In a large study of 2,000 couples, the research found participants who received the COVID-19 vaccine were not less likely to get pregnant; however, for the couples with the male partner infected with the COVID-19 virus in the last 60 days were less likely to conceive. If you have the COVID-19 virus during pregnancy, you are at increased risk of complications that can affect your pregnancy and developing baby.

HPV cancers can lead to issues with fertility, but there is no evidence that the vaccine can cause infertility.  HPV infection has been implicated as a risk factor for infertility in men; it has been proven that HPV infection can cause changes in semen analysis.

In adults, mumps can affect a woman’s eggs or a man’s sperm. A man who gets mumps may become sterile.

A primary rubella infection during the first five months of pregnancy may result in transmission to the fetus in up to 80% of cases. Fetal rubella infection during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, may cause blindness, deafness or cardiac abnormalities. Between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy deafness can occur. 1 of 10 babies who are born with rubella will die during the first 12 months of life. Those who survive are likely to have lifelong health implications. There is no treatment for congenital rubella syndrome.

Influenza infections can influence both male and female reproductive processes. The effects of H1N1 on the quality of human sperm have been confirmed by a large body of evidence. The flu can have long-lasting effects on sperm DNA integrity and thereby lead to an increased risk of infertility.

The prevalence of hepatitis viral shedding in the seminal fluid is about 68% in chronic infections. Some studies documented the presence of HBV-DNA in the semen 120 days after it was no longer seen in the serum. Huang et al. observed that HBV-infected patients have higher sperm chromosomal aberrations than the controls. HBV has been shown to potentially decrease fertility.

Sources

CDC: COVID-19 Vaccination for People Who Would Like to Have a Baby
Immunize BC: Question: Can the HPV vaccine can cause infertility?
Oxford Academic Paediatrics & Child Health-MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine 
Frontiers in reproductive Health-Viral Infections and Male Infertility: A Comprehensive Review of the Role of Oxidative Stress
Science Direct-Fertility and Sterility: Hepatitis and Reproduction