BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine does not affect fertility as explored in a pilot study of women undergoing IVF treatment

The COVID-19 pandemic spreads worldwide, causing devastating consequences. BioNTech (BioNTech SE, Mainz, Germany) and Pfizer's (Pfizer Inc., Brooklyn, NY, USA) BNT162b2 vaccine was one of the first vaccines to receive emergency-use authorization. However, its impact on women's fertility has not been primarily assessed leading to spread of unfounded rumors, causing vaccine hesitancy. We investigate the possible impact of BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.

We compared data from 42 women undergoing their first IVF following 2 doses of BNT162b2 vaccination to 42 unvaccinated women undergoing their first IVF. The first outcome consisted of the pregnancy based on first hCG value; secondary outcomes were IVF cycle outcomes. A second analysis was done on 29 paired patients from both groups based on age, FSH, and the indication for IVF.

We report different levels of the pregnancy formation; oocyte's development: numbers of oocytes retrieved (9.3±6.8 vs. 11.5±7.9, P=0.19) and matured (6.9±4.8 vs. 9.1±6.6, P=0.14), and embryonal stage: fertilization rates (64.1±26.6 vs. 66.3±23.3, P=0.14), the quantity (4.3±3.2 vs. 5.7±4.4, P=0.23) and qualities of embryos (good/fair/poor) at day 3 were comparable. The analysis showed no significant difference between the groups, and the odds for pregnancy were similar (OR=0.9, 95% CL [0.3-2.8] P value 0.833).

From our results, this vaccine does not affect IVF performance and outcomes from the early stage of oocyte development through to the early beginning of pregnancy; therefore, it seems that the BNT162b2 vaccine does not compromise women's fertility.