NYU Langone COVID co-investigator Dr. Purvi Parikh weighs in on 'Your World' One of the most common misleading rumors regarding the COVID-19vaccine is that it will impact fertility, which experts say is not based on fact and has been repeatedly debunked. It is believed that the false report first surfaced on social media and included misinformation about the spike protein associated with coronavirus. The false information claimed that the spike protein was the same as another spike protein called syncitin-1, which is involved in the growth and attachment of the placenta during pregnancy. The rumor claimed that the vaccine would cause a woman’s body to fight the spike protein, impacting fertility.