A new study has confirmed having the Covid vaccine during the first trimester of pregnancy doesn't cause birth defects.
French scientists who looked at infants born from over 130,000 vaccinated mothers found mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines don't appear to cause birth defects.
They discovered the prevalence of birth defects in infants born from vaccinated mothers was actually marginally lower than from those unvaccinated.
The study focused on mRNA-based jabs, which includes those made by both the pharmaceutical giants Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Their analysis showed there were birth defects from vaccinated mothers in 176.6 per 10,000 mothers, while there were 179.4 per 10,000 from those unvaccinated.
The findings by researchers at EPI-PHARE, a scientific group that looks into the safety and risks of medicines, was published today in Jama Network Open.
In the journal, they wrote: 'Our study confirms the foetal safety of mRNA Covid vaccines during pregnancies, showing no increased risk of MCMs and reassuring millions of women worldwide who receive these vaccines early in pregnancy.'
MCMs stand for major congenital malformations, which are defects developed during pregnancy that affect the baby's health such as heart defects.
'Policymakers and healthcare practitioners should update vaccination guidelines to ensure that pregnant women are adequately informed about the safety of vaccines.
'These findings also provide valuable insight into foetal safety of mRNA-based vaccines, which could inform future considerations for their use in pregnant women.'
However, the authors noted limitations, including the study only including live births and not still births which may involve birth defects.
Previously health chiefs have said the Covid jab has no effect on pregnancy, despite misinformation being spread online on platforms like X, formerly known as Twitter.
MP Richard Tice, former leader of the Reform Party posted a widely shared — and since deleted — tweet in 2020.
In it he wrote: 'Forcing young girls, who just want to dance, to have vaccines almost certain to mean increased still births, miscarriages, disabled children, infertility.'
The National Health Service (NHS) says the Covid vaccination is safe and urges pregnant women to get the jab to protect themselves and the baby.
On the safety, the UK Government has said: 'These vaccines do not contain live and cannot infect a pregnant woman or her unborn baby in the womb.'
It comes amid a worrying rise in Covid cases in the UK, with cases of the latest strains Stratus and Nimbus doubling since August.
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University told the Daily Mail the increase in cases and hospitalisations is 'worrying so early in the Autumn period'.
He put it down to a mixture of children returning to school, colder temperatures causing people to spend more time indoors—often in places with poor ventilation—and waning protective immunity.
Experts say the new variants—one of which causes a distinct 'razor blade' sore throat—do not appear to pose any bigger threat than previous strains of Covid, or make people feel more ill.
However, genetic changes to the virus means that infections may become more likely.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said positivity had risen from 7.6 to 8.4 per cent in just a week, while admissions increased from 2.0 to 2.73 per 100,000.
The health agency advises anyone with symptoms to stay at home if possible and avoid contact with vulnerable people.
Experts urged Britons to wear masks in crowded places and to isolate if they test positive for the virus.
Covid tests are no longer free on the NHS but can still be bought at pharmacies.
