Vaccination During Pregnancy: What Every Expecting Mother Should Know
Learn which vaccines are safe in pregnancy, why they matter, and how they protect you and your baby.
In short: Vaccines recommended in pregnancy are the flu vaccine at any stage and the tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough vaccine between weeks 27 and 36 of every pregnancy, which protects the newborn in the first months. Live vaccines such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox are not given in pregnancy. If one is given by mistake, there is no need to end the pregnancy.
Vaccination during pregnancy is an important step to help protect both mother and baby from certain infections. Understanding which vaccines are safe — and which to avoid — can give expecting mothers greater peace of mind throughout their pregnancy journey.
Some vaccines are recommended during pregnancy because they are considered safe and help the body produce antibodies that cross the placenta. This process gives the baby extra protection against serious infections during the first 6 months of life, before their own immune system is fully developed.
During pregnancy, a woman’s immune system naturally adjusts, which can make her more prone to complications from certain infections. This is one of the reasons why timely vaccination is so valuable.
Importance of vaccination in pregnancy:
- Protects the mother from infections that might be more severe in pregnancy
- Protects the fetus and transfer through transplacental antibody transfer
- Prevents obstetric complications such as preterm birth or neonatal infections
Vaccines that are recommended in pregnancy:
- Influenza vaccine:
- given during any month of pregnancy
- protects against seasonal influenza
- protects newborn during first 6 months of life
- the virus is inactivated in the vaccine (not alive)
- Pertussis vaccine:
- given in addition to tetanus and diphtheria
- recommended between 27-36 weeks of gestation
- repeated in each pregnancy
- the aim is to protect the infant from severe pertussis which might be life-threatening in infant age
- part of Tdap vaccine
RSV vaccine: given once in pregnancy (for example between 32 and 36 weeks in the USA, or from 28 weeks in the UK); it protects the baby from severe RSV chest infection (bronchiolitis) during the first months of life; it is not a live vaccine
- Tetanus vaccine:
- given to all pregnant women who are not fully vaccinated, and as part of Tdap in every pregnancy
- given in addition to pertussis and diphtheria
- prevents neonatal tetanus
- part of Tdap vaccine
Note: Tdap vaccine contains inactivated toxins and protein antigens
- Some vaccines are given if needed and not as routine:
- hepatitis B vaccine
- covid 19 vaccine (recommended by WHO and ACOG for pregnant women, especially if not vaccinated recently, because COVID-19 can be more severe in pregnancy)
- rabies vaccine (if exposed to animal bites)
- meningococcal vaccine in outbreaks or travelling to areas with high-risk exposure
- Vaccines that are contraindicated in pregnancy:
- Measles vaccine
- Mumps vaccine
- Rubella vaccine
- Varicella vaccine
- Tuberculosis
Generally, vaccines that contain live viruses are not allowed in pregnancy because a pregnant woman’s immunity is naturally adjusted during this time, and live vaccines contain organisms that are able to replicate and could potentially affect the fetus.
These are all live vaccines, and that’s why they should ideally be given before pregnancy or after birth.
Side effects of vaccines:
- Pain at injection site
- Mild fever
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Severe side effects are rare
If a live vaccine is given during pregnancy, should the pregnancy be terminated?
No, because the risk is very small. But close monitoring of the mother and fetus are needed.
How long should I wait before getting pregnant after I take a live vaccine?
Four weeks
Are live vaccines safe during breastfeeding?
Yes, because the transmission rate through breast milk is very low
If you have questions about which vaccines are right for you during pregnancy, our team at Dr Najeeb Layyous clinic is here to guide you through a safe and healthy pregnancy journey.
Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G
Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist
The finest doctor in Jordan — may God bless him and his whole medical team. A doctor in every sense of the word. I advise anyone planning a pregnancy to visit Dr. Najeeb Layyous. His manner is wonderful, always smiling, with the highest ethics; he gives every patient her due, and the patient’s comfort matters most to him. We had been to many doctors and none understood and treated my case except him. Special thanks to him and the whole team, and to Dina in particular — a lovely person. I recommend anyone considering IVF or pregnancy to visit his clinic.