Immunizations and Pregnancy
Thinking of having a baby?
You and your baby deserve a great and healthy start. Vaccines can help protect you both against vaccine-preventable diseases during and after pregnancy. Know which shots you may need before, during and after you are pregnant. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a chart about the various vaccines recommended for pregnant woman, please see link below:
Before Pregnancy
Find out if you need any shots before you get pregnant. Talk with your doctor, he or she can tell you which shots you need, based on your age and health history. Your doctor can also run simple tests to see if you need certain shots. Adults may need new shots or “booster” shots.
During Pregnancy
Did you know that a mother’s immunity is passed along to her baby during pregnancy? This will protect the baby from some diseases during the first few months of life until the baby can get vaccinated. So, during pregnancy a flu shot is highly recommended; especially since flu can cause serious health problems for you and your baby. Flu season is from October through May. Tdap (tentanus, diphtheria and pertussis) is also recommended if there is a high risk of getting pertussis (whooping cough); otherwise recommended before and after pregnancy.
Traveling out of the United States?
Talk with your doctor about shots to protect you from diseases that are still common in other parts of the world.
Vaccines to avoid during pregnancy
Women who are pregnant should not receive live, weakened viral vaccines. The following vaccines, may pose a serious risk to your baby, which include: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Varicella, HPV and the live flu nasal spray. Women should not get pregnant for at least on month after receiving the MMR or Varicella shot. If you received a shot for MMR, Varicella, HPV or the live flu nasal spray and did not know you were pregnant, talk with your doctor right away.
After Pregnancy
After the birth of your baby, get any immunization you may have missed. Some shots are even given in the hospital before you leave.
Stop the flu and whooping cough!
Newborns are too young to get immunized against the flu and pertussis (whooping cough). To protect your new baby, flu and Tdap are needed for anyone who lives with or takes care of your baby.
