Vaccinations in pregnancy

Protect yourself and your baby during pregnancy!
Vaccinations are extremely important and safe for pregnant women. The risks associated with the diseases outweigh any concerns over the vaccination.
Two main vaccinations that ALL pregnant women should receive are the FLU vaccine and the WHOOPING COUGH vaccine.

Flu vaccination during pregnancy lowers the risk of influenza hospitalization in:

Pregnant women by an average of 40%
Babies less than 6 months old by an average of 72%

Whooping Cough vaccination during pregnancy lowers the risk:

In babies less than 2 months old by 78%
In hospitalization in babies less than 2 months old by 91%

Live vaccines carry risks to the unborn baby so are generally not recommended in pregnancy.

Tetanus is a safe vaccine in pregnant women and recommended in areas that are high risk- such as Vietnam.

Check your MMR status prior to conception - Measles, Mumps and Rubella immunity is important to check as if contracted in pregnancy they can cause birth defects and complications to the baby.

Author: Abigail Laurie Registered Midwife and Registered Specialist Public Health Nurse, United Kingdom.