What is the Bivalent Vaccine and When Should I Get it?

This summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the new bivalent vaccine is available for anyone age 12 and older. Similar to previous versions of the COVID-19 vaccine, this version protects you against the original strain of the virus. This updated booster also provides protection against the omicron subvariants—the most prevalent one at this time.

The vaccine was updated in order to better protect people against reinfection and create a more long-term immunity response. Although the subvariant strains were added, the bivalent vaccines use the same mRNA technology as the original version. You can find more information online about how the vaccines work and search for the closest vaccination location to you.

Since the initial rollout of the vaccines, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has recommended that pregnant people and those up to six weeks postpartum should receive a vaccine booster when they are eligible to do so. This is due to the increased risk that COVID-19 poses to both pregnant people and their babies..

If you are wondering when to get a vaccine when trying to conceive, the answer is that there’s no bad time to get vaccinated or boosted during your pregnancy. Doing so will allow you to pass antibodies to your child, whether it be through the umbilical cord when they are in utero or through breastfeeding.

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Fertility

Throughout the entire pandemic, researchers have been looking to see how vaccinations could affect fertility and the results have shown that:

• Vaccination during pregnancy does not increase the risk of miscarriage.
• Vaccines do not impact male or female fertility or the outcomes of fertility treatments.
• Pregnant people who are vaccinated are less likely to catch COVID-19.
• Unvaccinated pregnant people are more likely to experience severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people.

We continue to recommend that you make an appointment to get vaccinated as soon as possible, even if you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 in the past. Additionally, if you have previously received the COVID-19 vaccine, it is important to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, to ensure you stay protected. 

Contact Us

Our mission is to provide patients with the care and information they need. If you have any questions about the bivalent vaccine or fertility treatment in general, we are here to answer them. Please contact us for an initial consultation.