Vaccines administered during pregnancy play a critical role in protecting your health as well as that of the baby. Your immunity as a mother is the baby’s first line of defense against several serious illnesses. So, if you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant, now is the time to ensure that your vaccines are up to date.
Vaccines that contain inactivated viruses are safe to be administered during pregnancy. However, vaccines that contain live viruses are typically not recommended for pregnant women. Below are five vaccines that are safe to administer during pregnancy.
Vaccines During Pregnancy: 5 Safe Options
1. Flu (Influenza) Vaccine
The flu vaccine or flu shot as it is popularly known is often recommended for pregnant women during flu season i.e. November through March. It is made from an inactivated virus, which means that it is safe for both mother and baby. However, the influenza nasal spray vaccine should be avoided by pregnant women since it is made from a live virus.
2. Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine
A single dose of the Tdap vaccine is usually recommended during pregnancy to protect the baby from pertussis (whooping cough), regardless of when you had your last tetanus-diphtheria or Tdap vaccination. The vaccine should ideally be administered between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
3. Pneumococcal Vaccine
If you suffer from a specific chronic condition such as kidney disease or diabetes, the doctor may recommend pneumococcal vaccine to protect you and the baby against some forms of pneumonia. While the potential harm to an unborn baby is not clearly known, researchers believe that it is low.
4. Hepatitis A Vaccine
It protects against a liver disease that spreads through contaminated water or food. Symptoms include nausea, fatigue, and fever. Hepatitis A is not usually as serious as Hepatitis B and it usually doesn’t affect unborn babies in most instances. However, Hepatitis A can contribute to infection and premature labor in newborns, but this usually happens in rare cases.
5. Hepatitis B Vaccine
It is safe to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine when you are pregnant and if you are a healthcare worker or live with somebody with the disease.
Getting the Tdap vaccine and influenza vaccine during pregnancy helps protect you from infection and also helps protect the baby after birth before vaccines can be safely administered to him or her. It is important to get the vaccine since whooping cough or the flu can be particularly dangerous for infants.
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccines may also be recommended by your doctor if you are traveling abroad or are at an increased risk of certain infections.
Your health care provider will usually not recommend certain vaccines containing live viruses during pregnancy since they pose a theoretical risk. Vaccines that generally should be avoided during pregnancy include:
– Shingles vaccine
– Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine
– Chickenpox Vaccine
If you are planning a pregnancy, be sure to talk to your health care provider regarding the vaccines you might need. Live vaccines should only be administered at least 1 month prior to conception. However, the 5 vaccines during pregnancy featured here are safe to administer to pregnant women.