“Do not impact fertility.” That was the headline assurance in a February 2021 joint statement⁠ from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and two other reproductive medicine organizations. Yet, its text acknowledged that fertility had not been specifically studied in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. It described loss of fertility as scientifically unlikely. The statement is reproduced in ASRM’s February 2021 guidance⁠.

A conclusion and an expectation are different things. Patients deserved to hear the difference. As a surgeon, I believe a credible safety concern deserves explanation before causation is settled. Informed consent requires discussing uncertainty while patients still have a decision to make.