Is It Safe to Get Vaccinations During

Pregnancy?
Why Should Pregnant Women Be Vaccinated?

Manywomenmaynotrealizethattheyarenotuptodateontheirimmunizationsandare
susceptibletodiseasesthatcanharmthemortheirunbornchild.Pregnantwomenshould
talktotheirdoctorstofigureoutwhichvaccines theymayneedandwhetherthey
shouldgetthemduringpregnancyorwaituntilaftertheirchildisborn.
Are Vaccines Safe?

AllvaccinesaretestedforsafetyunderthesupervisionoftheFDA.Thevaccinesare
checkedforpurity,potencyandsafety,andtheFDAandCDCmonitorthesafetyofeach
vaccineforaslongasitisinuse.
Somepeoplemaybeallergictoaningredientinavaccine,suchaseggsintheinfluenza
vaccine,andshouldnotreceivethevaccineuntiltheyhavetalkedtotheirdoctor.
Which Vaccines Can I Receive While I'm Pregnant?

Thefollowingvaccinesareconsideredsafetogivetowomenwhomaybeatriskof
infection:
HepatitisB:Pregnantwomenwhoareathighriskforthisdiseaseandhavetested
negativefortheviruscanreceivethisvaccine.Itisusedtoprotectthemotherand
babyagainstinfectionbothbeforeandafterdelivery.Aseriesofthreedosesis
requiredtohaveimmunity.The2ndand3rddosesaregiven1and6monthsafter
thefirstdose.
Influenza (Inactivated):Thisvaccinecanpreventseriousillnessinthemother
duringpregnancy.Allwomenwhowillbepregnant(anytrimester)duringtheflu
seasonshouldbeofferedthisvaccine.Talktoyourdoctortoseeifthisappliesto
you.
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap):Tdapisrecommendedduringpregnancy,
preferablybetween27and36weeksgestation,toprotectbabyfromwhooping
cough.Ifnotadministeredduringpregnancy,Tdapshouldbeadministered
immediatelyafterthebirthofyourbaby.
Can a Vaccine Harm My Unborn Baby?

Anumberofvaccines,especiallylivevirusvaccines,shouldnotbegiventopregnant
women,becausetheymaybeharmfultothebaby.(Alivevirusvaccineismadeusingthe
livestrainsofavirus.)Somevaccinescanbegiventothemotherinthesecondorthird
trimesterofpregnancy,whileothersshouldonlybeadministeredeitheratleastthree
monthsbeforeorimmediatelyafterthebabyisborn.
Which Vaccines Should Pregnant Women Avoid?

Which Vaccines Should Pregnant Women Avoid?

Thefollowingvaccinescanpotentiallybetransmittedtotheunbornchildandmayresultin
miscarriage,prematurebirthorbirthdefects.
HepatitisA:Thesafetyofthisvaccinehasn'tbeendetermined,soitshouldbe
avoidedduringpregnancy.Womenathighriskforexposuretothisvirusshould
discusstherisksandbenefitswiththeirdoctors.
Measles,Mumps,Rubella(MMR):Womenshouldwaitatleastonemonthto
becomepregnantafterreceivingtheselivevirusvaccines.Iftheinitialrubellatest
showsthatyouarenotimmunetorubella ,thenyouwillbegiventhevaccine
afterdelivery.
Varicella:Thisvaccine,usedtopreventchickenpox,shouldbegivenatleastone
monthbeforepregnancy.
Pneumococcal:Becausethesafetyofthisvaccineisunknown,itshouldbeavoided
inpregnancy,exceptforwomenwhoareathighriskorhaveachronicillness.
OralPolioVaccine(OPV)andInactivatedPolioVaccine(IPV):Neitherthelivevirus
(OPV)northeinactivatedvirus(IPV)versionofthisvaccineisrecommendedfor
pregnantwomen.
HPVVaccine:Topreventthehumanpapillomavirusvirus(HPV).
What Side Eects Can I Expect Aer a Vaccination?

Sideeffectsmayoccuruptothreeweeksaftervaccination.Ifyouexperienceanysevere
sideeffects,besuretotellyourdoctor.
HepatitisA:Sorenessandrednessatinjectionsite,headache,fatigue,severe
allergicreactioninveryrarecases
HepatitisB:Sorenessatinjectionsite,fever
Influenza :Rednessandswellingatinjectionsitethatcanlastuptotwodays,
fever
Tetanus/Diphtheria:Lowgradefever,sorenessandswellingatinjectionsite
Measles ,Mumps,Rubella(MMR):Noncontagiousrash,swellingofneckglands
andcheeks,painandstiffnessofjointsonetotwoweeksaftervaccination
Varicella:Fever,sorenessorrednessatinjectionsite,rash orsmallbumpsupto
threeweeksaftervaccination
Pneumococcal:Fever,sorenessatinjectionsite
OralPolioVaccine(OPV):None
InactivatedPolioVaccine(IPV):Redness,discomfortatinjectionsite