Truth sandwich on the topic of safety

Fact: Vaccines are safe for individuals planning to have children.

Myth: “Vaccines cause infertility.”

The potential effect of vaccinations on male and female fertility has been investigated in numerous studies on a wide variety of vaccines and in many countries. It is clear that individuals fall pregnant just as frequently regardless of whether they or their partner have been vaccinated. Vaccines therefore have no effect upon fertility.

It is understandable that individuals planning to have children or who are currently pregnant are especially careful regarding the use of vaccines and other medications. They want to give their unborn child the best possible start and not to cause harm under any circumstances. However, this justifiable caution is sometimes selectively targeted to sow doubt about the safety of vaccinations, particularly in social media. People cite the fact that more people in many western countries are vaccinated than before and that birth rates there are falling at the same time. However, there is no connection between the two situations. The falling birth rates are not the result of vaccinations but rather of changes in family planning practices in our modern society.

In fact: Vaccines have no effect upon fertility and are safe for those planning to have children. It is equally clear that some vaccines are especially important before or during pregnancy to protect both mother and child, such as the pertussis vaccine (whooping cough).

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