Vaccines During Pregnancy
Vaccines that are important during pregnancy
- Influenza. Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season should receive the inactivated flu vaccine. Pregnant women are at increased risk for influenza-related complications that require hospitalization.
- Hepatitis B. Because many people do not know that they are infected with hepatitis B virus and because an infant can get the disease at birth from an infected mother, your obstetrician will perform a blood test to determine whether you are infected with hepatitis B. If you are, your baby will be given a vaccine and an antibody preparation shortly after birth to prevent him or her from getting the disease.
- Td. Pregnant women should be up-to-date on their tetanus-diphtheria booster. It may be given after the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Tdap. Tdap may be given in the immediate post-partum period.
- Pneumococcal. If a woman is considered high-risk for pneumococcal disease, she should get this vaccine. High-risk conditions include chronic disorders of the pulmonary system (but not asthma), cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver diseases, chronic renal failure, asplenia (including sickle cell disease), immunosuppressive conditions (e.g., HIV, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Hodgkins disease, generalized malignancy, or organ or bone marrow transplantation), treatment with certain medications, or cochlear implants.
Vaccines that should be avoided during pregnancy
- Live, attenuated influenza vaccine. While a woman is recommended to receive the influenza vaccine while pregnant, she should not receive the live version of the vaccine.
- MMR. Women who are pregnant should not receive live, weakened viral vaccines, including the ones for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). A woman should avoid becoming pregnant for four weeks after receipt of this vaccine.
- Varicella. As with MMR, this vaccine contains a live, weakened virus and should not be given to pregnant women. Additionally, women should avoid becoming pregnant for at least one month after receipt of this vaccine.
Reviewed by: Paul A. Offit, MD
Date: March 2008
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