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If you’re pregnant, you may have started thinking about your health differently. Many people wonder what immunizations while pregnant are safe and how they protect their baby. There are good reasons for that, of course. You’re taking care of your own health — and looking after a new life. You may especially have questions about vaccines and pregnancy.
Vaccines help protect you and your baby from serious infection. You both develop immunity. That protects you and your baby from future infections — and makes it easier to fight off illness.
Research shows vaccines protect you before and after you give birth. Many studies confirm your baby is also protected after birth.
What vaccines are safe during pregnancy?
You can get several vaccinations during your pregnancy, such as:
- COVID-19
- Flu
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningitis
- Polio
- Rabies
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)
- Whooping cough (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis)
All are typically given as shots.
COVID-19 vaccine
Being pregnant increases your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. Pregnant people who have COVID-19 are more likely to:1
- Be admitted to an intensive care unit
- Need a tube to help them breathe
- Have complications, such as a preterm birth
If you get COVID-19, your baby is more likely to need intensive care if they’re born early. Complications like stillbirth are also more common.
The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you and your baby against these complications.
If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, we recommend you get the vaccine. We also recommend the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re breastfeeding. Research shows that breastfeeding people who’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 have antibodies in their breast milk that could help protect their babies.2 You don’t need to delay or stop breastfeeding after getting the vaccine.
To learn more or to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit our online guide to COVID-19.
Flu vaccine
You may also be asking if it’s safe to get a flu shot while pregnant. Yes, it’s safe to get a flu shot and we strongly recommend you get one. It’s harder for your body to fight off infections during pregnancy, so the flu is more likely to make you seriously ill. Risks include severe breathing problems that could lead to hospitalization. Other flu symptoms like a high fever could affect your developing baby — and increase the chance of preterm birth and other complications.
That’s why getting your annual flu shot is especially important when you’re pregnant.
After you get the flu shot, your body makes antibodies that pass to your baby. Infants have a higher risk of getting seriously ill from the flu — but can’t get a flu shot until they’re 6 months old. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy is the best way to protect your baby from the flu.
There’s also no increased risk of illness when you get the flu shot during pregnancy. You may have mild side effects that sometimes happen after a flu shot, like soreness around the injection site, muscle aches, fatigue, or nausea.
Learn more about how to stay healthy during flu season.
RSV vaccine
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms, like a cough, shortness of breath, or a runny nose. Most people will have mild symptoms. But infants can develop more serious conditions like pneumonia. That’s why it’s important to get the RSV vaccine while pregnant. Getting the vaccine can help protect your baby from severe RSV.
You should get the RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of your pregnancy.
Tdap vaccine
The Tdap vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect you and your baby against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (also known as "whooping cough"). These 3 diseases can be dangerous to you and your baby. Whooping cough especially can be life-threatening for young babies. If you don’t get the Tdap vaccine while pregnant, then your infant won’t be protected against these serious diseases.
Tetanus causes symptoms like a stiff neck, back, or shoulders. As the infection gets worse, more serious symptoms like seizures may occur. Tetanus can enter the body through cuts, wounds, or splinters. Diphtheria and pertussis both cause breathing problems and can be life-threatening for newborns.
Since babies can’t get the Tdap vaccine until they’re 2 months old, they’re more vulnerable during this time. Getting the vaccine in your third trimester will give your baby the most protection, since the antibodies will pass to them. You should get the Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy to help protect newborns when they’re most vulnerable to serious illness and complications.
Vaccines after pregnancy
Some vaccines aren’t recommended until after pregnancy. It’s best to wait to get vaccinations for rubella, measles, and chickenpox until after you’ve given birth. In the meantime, try to avoid exposure to these diseases.
Talk with your doctor
Be sure to know your vaccination history before you get pregnant. You can talk with your care team about concerns you may have. You can also discuss which vaccines you already have and which you may need. At your first visit, you’ll have blood tests to find out which diseases you’re protected from.
For more resources to support your pregnancy, visit our maternity site.