Here’s What We Know: Vaccines for Pregnant and Expectant Adults
Pregnancy is an exciting time that requires you to take control of your health for the health of your developing baby. In addition to eating nutritious foods and taking prenatal vitamins, it’s important to stay current on vaccines during pregnancy. In fact, you may want to consider vaccinations before conceiving for optimal pregnancy care.
“If you’re trying to become pregnant, then get vaccinated,” says Dr. Laura Riley, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “It’s not going to interfere with fertility or implantation. It’s certainly not going to harm your baby.”
Here is what we know about the vaccines you need and why they matter when you’re expecting.
Which Vaccines to Get
As long as you’re healthy, vaccines recommended during pregnancy by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include:
- COVID-19 vaccine. Most adults ages 18 and older should receive the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect them from severe illness. You should also get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy.
- Flu vaccine. Ask for the flu shot before November. Getting it early helps you stay safe even before the flu season is in full force.
- Hepatitis A and B vaccines. If you have chronic liver disease, hepatitis A vaccination reduces your risk for severe complications from infection during pregnancy. Additionally, if you have hepatitis B, vaccination can help protect your baby from getting the virus.
- Missing vaccines. Some preventable diseases, such as rubella, can cause birth defects and other pregnancy complications. Your primary care provider can provide vaccinations you haven’t received and get you back on the recommended immunization schedule. You may have to postpone some vaccinations, such as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), which are not recommended during pregnancy.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. If you are 32 to 36 weeks pregnant from September to January, ask for the RSV vaccine. Otherwise, babies younger than 8 months in the fall through spring should get vaccinated against RSV.
- Whooping cough vaccine. By getting this vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, you help protect your baby from this condition that can be fatal for infants.
Benefits of Vaccines During Pregnancy
When you receive a vaccine, you train your immune system to recognize and attack harmful viruses and bacteria. This training is vital, as it helps your body fight off disease if it faces the same viruses or bacteria in the future.
“Data suggests that pregnant women sick with COVID-19 have a higher risk of pregnancy complications,” says Dr. Sallie Permar, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine. “This includes blood clots, which put you at risk for serious complications.”
Pregnant women are also more likely to have serious flu symptoms. Vaccination reduces your risk for severe disease, and vaccination’s benefits aren’t confined to mothers-to-be.
During pregnancy, vaccines also serve your baby. They help protect your baby from getting very sick from preventable diseases and complications, such as blood clots. Get vaccinated, and you provide your baby with disease-fighting antibodies during the earliest, most vulnerable days of life.
If you’re expecting, find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine to help keep you and your baby safe throughout pregnancy, delivery and beyond.