Can COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Infertility? Government Responds

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said that there is no scientific evidence suggesting COVID-19 vaccination can cause infertility in men and women and asserted the vaccines have been found to be safe and effective. It further said that the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has also recommended Covid vaccination for all lactating women, terming it as safe with no need to stop or pause breastfeeding before or after the inoculation.

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The statement by the ministry comes in the wake of media reports expressing concerns regarding infertility due to COVID-19 vaccination among population of reproductive age and whether the vaccination is safe for lactating women.

The health ministry as clarified in the FAQs posted on the website that none of the available vaccines affects fertility of either men or women, as all vaccines and their constituents are tested first on animals and later in humans to assess if they have any such side effects, the statement said.

Vaccines are authorised for use only after their safety and efficacy is assured.

Furthermore, in order to curb the prevalent myth regarding infertility due to COVID-19 vaccination, the government of India has clarified that there are no scientific evidences suggesting COVID-19 vaccination can cause infertility in men and women. The vaccines have been found to be safe and effective, the statement said.

It further said that in a recent interview, Dr N K Arora, chairperson of COVID-19 Working Group of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has countered these fears and allegations.

He said that misinformation was also created during the administering of polio vaccine in India and abroad that children who are getting the vaccine may face infertility in the future. He assured that all vaccines go through intense scientific researches and none of the vaccines have this sort of side-effect, the statement stated.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.