Discuss vaccinations before, during, and after pregnancy with your health care provider. Many vaccines are beneficial to the health of your baby and yourself.

Vaccination BEFORE pregnancy

Before becoming pregnant, you should be up-to-date on routine adult vaccines. This will help protect you and your child. Discuss vaccines with your health care provider. In general:

• Live vaccines should not be given within a month before getting pregnant or during pregnancy.
• Inactivated (killed) vaccines may be given at any time before or during pregnancy, if needed.

Vaccination DURING pregnancy

If you are pregnant, your health care provider will help you decide which vaccinations you need based on:

• Your age
• Lifestyle
• High-risk conditions
• Type and locations of travel
• Previous vaccinations

Vaccination AFTER pregnancy

It is safe for a woman to receive vaccines right after giving birth and when breastfeeding. Vaccines can help protect mothers, including:

• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) – if not received during pregnancy
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Influenza – if not received during pregnancy

While you are pregnant and a short time after the baby is born, your baby has the same immunity and protection from disease that you do. This is temporary. The baby must be vaccinated to develop his/her own immunity.

Your health care provider should have a record of all the vaccines you have been given. You should also keep a record.

Pregnant Women and International Travel

Many diseases, rarely seen in the United States, are common in other parts of the world. A pregnant woman planning international travel should talk to her health care provider about vaccines.

Overview

Influenza and whooping cough can be deadly, especially in a baby’s first few months of life. Vaccinating women against these diseases during each pregnancy helps protect both them and their babies. Studies show flu and whooping cough vaccines are very safe for pregnant women and developing babies.

• CDC recommends all pregnant women receive flu vaccine at any time during pregnancy, and whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) early in their third trimester, during each pregnancy.
• Pregnant women who get vaccinated pass antibodies to their babies, protecting babies in the first few months of life before they can get their own vaccines.
• Recommendations from healthcare providers are one of the strongest motivators for pregnant women to get vaccinated.

Vaccines often offered, but many pregnant women and babies left unprotected

SOURCE: CDC Internet Panel Survey 2019

Women vaccinated during pregnancy pass protective antibodies to babies.

SOURCE: Lancet, April 2017, https://bit.ly/2lNYsgZ. F1000 Research, January 2018, https://f1000research.com/articles/7-122.

Problem

Not enough women receive flu and Tdap vaccines during each pregnancy.

• About 2 in 3 pregnant women do not receive both recommended vaccines.
• Babies less than 6 months old are at the highest risk of all children for hospitalization from influenza.
• 38% of pregnant women who didn’t get Tdap say they didn’t know the vaccine was needed in each pregnancy.

The Way Forward

Healthcare Providers Should:

• Discuss the benefits of vaccination with pregnant women early and often.
• Strongly recommend flu and Tdap vaccines to pregnant women.
• Offer flu and Tdap vaccines to pregnant women, or provide referrals to other vaccination providers.
• Reinforce that vaccination is the best way to protect young babies from influenza and whooping cough.

Pregnant Women Should:

• Talk with their healthcare providers if they have any questions about flu and Tdap vaccines.
• Get a flu vaccine anytime during pregnancy.
• Get a Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of each pregnancy.
• To learn more: https://bit.ly/2yoUXAG

Everyone Should:

• Get a flu vaccine every year.
• Get a whooping cough vaccine as recommended.
• Be up to date on childhood vaccines: https://bit.ly/1cWkgte
• Be up to date on adult vaccines: https://bit.ly/1hNagRo

Flu and whooping cough vaccines protect against life-threatening diseases.

Flu vaccination during pregnancy lowers risk of influenza hospitalization in:

• Pregnant women by an average of 40%
• Babies less than 6 months old by an average of 72%

Tdap vaccination during pregnancy lowers risk of:

• Whooping cough in babies less than 2 months old by 78%
• Hospitalization due to whooping cough in babies less than 2 months old by 91%

Before you become pregnant, learn how to protect yourself and your child from serious diseases. Talk to your healthcare professional to make sure you're up to date on all your vaccines.

Find your vaccination record

It’s important to keep an accurate record of your vaccinations. Sharing this information with your pre-conception and prenatal healthcare professionals will help determine which vaccines you’ll need before and during pregnancy. If you or your healthcare professionals do not have a current record of your vaccinations, you can:

• Ask your parents or other caregivers if they still have your school immunization records. Ask them which childhood illnesses you’ve already had because illnesses in childhood can sometimes provide immunity in adulthood.
• Contact your previous healthcare professional or other locations where you may have received vaccinations (e.g., the health department, your workplace, or local pharmacies).

Even if you can’t find your records, your healthcare professional can still protect your health and your baby by recommending the appropriate vaccines.

Make sure your vaccination record is up to date

Even before becoming pregnant, make sure you are up to date on all your vaccines. Being up to date will help protect you and your child from serious, preventable diseases. For example, rubella is a contagious disease that can be dangerous if you get it while you are pregnant. It can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects.

Protect yourself against rubella with the MMR vaccine

The best protection against rubella is the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. If you aren’t up to date with the MMR vaccine, you’ll need it before you get pregnant. Make sure you have a pre-pregnancy blood test to see if you are immune to the disease. Most women were vaccinated with the MMR vaccine as children but confirm with your doctor or other healthcare professional.

Avoid becoming pregnant until one month after receiving the MMR vaccine and your immunity is confirmed by a blood test.

A pregnant person should get vaccinated against whooping cough and flu during each pregnancy to protect herself and her baby, with immunity for the first few months of life.

Protect mom and baby with vaccines

Did you know a baby gets disease immunity (protection) from mom during pregnancy? This immunity can protect baby from some diseases during the first few months of life, but immunity decreases over time.

Get a whooping cough vaccine and a flu shot during each pregnancy

Moms, get a whooping cough vaccine (also called Tdap) and a flu shot during each pregnancy.

Whooping cough

Whooping cough, known as pertussis, can be serious for anyone, but for a newborn, it can be life-threatening.

• About 7 in 10 deaths from whooping cough are among babies younger than 2 months old. These babies are too young to be protected by their own vaccination. The younger the baby is when they gets whooping cough, the more likely they will need to be treated in a hospital.
• It may be hard to know if a baby has whooping cough because many babies with this disease don’t cough at all. Instead, it can cause them to stop breathing and turn blue.

When a pregnant person gets a whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy, her body will create protective antibodies and pass some of them to the baby before birth. These antibodies will provide the baby some short-term, early protection against whooping cough. CDC recommends getting a whooping cough vaccine during the 27^th through 36^th week of each pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period.

Flu

Pregnant people are more likely to have severe illness from flu, possibly due to changes in immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy.

Make sure to receive your yearly flu vaccine —it’s the best way for a pregnant woman to protect against the flu and protect the baby for several months after birth from flu-related complications.

CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine by the end of October despite flu seasons varying in their timing from season to season. This timing helps protect a pregnant woman before flu activity begins to increase.

COVID-19

Pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. If you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19. If you have questions about getting vaccinated, talk to your healthcare provider.

Other vaccines

Some women may need other vaccines before, during, or after they become pregnant. For example, if a pregnant woman works in a lab or is traveling to a country where she may be exposed to meningococcal disease, her doctor or healthcare professional may recommend meningococcal vaccination.

• Hepatitis B: A baby whose mother has hepatitis B is at highest risk for becoming infected with hepatitis B during delivery. Moms, talk to your healthcare professional about getting tested for hepatitis B and whether or not you should get vaccinated.
• Hepatitis A: For pregnant women who have a history of chronic liver disease, doctors or healthcare professionals may recommend the hepatitis A vaccine.
• Vaccines for travel: Pregnant people planning international travel should talk to their doctor or healthcare professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before their trip to discuss any special precautions or necessary vaccines.

Vaccines after childbirth

Healthcare professionals may recommend some women receive certain vaccines right after giving birth. Postpartum vaccination will help protect moms from getting sick, and they will pass some antibodies to the baby through breastmilk if they are able to breastfeed. Vaccination after pregnancy is especially important if moms did not receive certain vaccines before or during pregnancy.

However, moms will not get protective antibodies immediately if they wait to get vaccinated until after birth. This is because it takes about 2 weeks after getting vaccinated before the body develops antibodies.

The baby will also start to get his or her own vaccines to protect against serious childhood diseases.

A baby’s family members and caregivers should be up to date on their vaccinations to help form a circle of disease protection around the baby.

Who can help prevent the spread of disease to babies by getting vaccinated?

• Parents
• Siblings
• Grandparents
• Babysitters and nannies
• And other caregivers

Newborns do not yet have fully developed immune systems, making them particularly vulnerable to infections. Because of this, anyone who is around babies should be up to date on all routine vaccines, including:

• Whooping cough vaccine (DTaP for children and Tdap for preteens, teens, and adults)
• Flu vaccine during flu season

Whooping cough vaccine for those around babies

Whooping cough is most dangerous for babies, and they do not start getting their own whooping cough vaccines until they are 2 months old. The best way to protect newborns from whooping cough is to make sure pregnant women get a whooping cough shot (called Tdap vaccine) during each pregnancy. Others can also help protect newborns by making sure they have gotten all the recommended whooping cough shots.

• If a child will be around the baby and is not up to date with their whooping cough shots (called DTaP vaccine), they should get vaccinated.
• Preteens, teens, and adults who will be around the baby and have not already had a whooping cough booster shot (called Tdap vaccine) should get vaccinated.
• If a teen or adult will be around the baby and has already had a Tdap vaccine, they do not need to get vaccinated again.

Flu vaccine for adults around babies

Babies younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu complications but are too young to receive a flu vaccine. Here’s how to protect the baby from flu:

• Before the baby is born, the mother should get a flu shot while she is pregnant to protect herself from the flu and protect the baby from flu illness for the first several months after birth, when they are too young to get vaccinated.
• Everyone who cares for the baby (for example, parents, siblings, teachers, babysitters, nannies) should get vaccinated during each flu season.

Family and caregiver vaccine timing

Anyone who needs the whooping cough or flu vaccines should get them at least two weeks before meeting the baby because it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies after vaccination.

When one member of a household has a respiratory illness, other members are at risk for getting ill, too. Researchers have:

• identified siblings and parents as the most common sources of whooping cough infection in young infants.
• found that many other people can get babies sick, including grandparents, caregivers, and friends of the family.

When everyone’s vaccinations are up to date, parents can feel more secure about the safety of their child.

What You Need to Know

• People who are pregnant or recently pregnant are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with people who are not pregnant.
• Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.
• People who are pregnant may receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
• Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
• There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.

Increased Risk for Severe Illness from COVID-19

Although the overall risks are low, people who are pregnant or recently pregnant are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared with people who are not pregnant. Severe illness includes illness that requires hospitalization, intensive care, need for a ventilator or special equipment to breathe, or illness that results in death. Additionally, people who have COVID-19 during pregnancy are at increased risk of preterm birth and stillbirth and might be at increased risk of other pregnancy complications.

Safety and Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccination during Pregnancy

Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, although limited, has been growing. It suggests that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy. Below is a brief summary of the growing evidence:

• COVID-19 vaccines do not cause COVID-19 infection, including in people who are pregnant or their babies. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain live virus and cannot make anyone sick with COVID-19, including people who are pregnant or their babies.
• Early data on the safety of receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) during pregnancy are reassuring.
  • Early data from three safety monitoring systems did not find any safety concerns for people who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine late in pregnancy or for their babies.¹
  • Scientists have not found an increased risk for miscarriage among people who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine just before and during early pregnancy (before 20 weeks of pregnancy).^2,3
  • The monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is ongoing. CDC will continue to follow people vaccinated during all trimesters of pregnancy to better understand effects on pregnancy and babies.
• Early data suggest receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy reduces the risk for infection. Recent studies from Israel compared people who were pregnant and received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with people who did not. Scientists found that vaccination lowered the risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19.^4,5
• Vaccination during pregnancy builds antibodies that might protect the baby. When people receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, their bodies build antibodies against COVID-19, similar to people who are not pregnant. Antibodies made after a pregnant person received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine were found in umbilical cord blood. This means COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy might help protect babies against COVID-19. More data are needed to determine how these antibodies, similar to those produced with other vaccines, may provide protection to the baby.⁶
• No safety concerns were found in animal studies. Studies in animals receiving a Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen(J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy found no safety concerns in pregnant animals or their babies.
• No adverse pregnancy-related outcomes occurred in previous clinical trials that used the same vaccine platform as the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines that use the same viral vector as the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine have been given to people in all trimesters of pregnancy, including in a large-scale Ebola vaccination trial. No adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, including adverse outcomes affecting the baby, were associated with vaccination in these trials. Learn more about how viral vector vaccines work.

More clinical trials on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and how well they work in people who are pregnant are underway or planned. Vaccine manufacturers are also collecting and reviewing data from people in the completed clinical trials who received a vaccine and became pregnant during the trial.

If you are pregnant and receive a COVID-19 vaccine, consider participating in the v-safe pregnancy registry

If you are pregnant and have received a COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to enroll in v-safe. V-safe is CDC’s smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after vaccination. A v-safe pregnancy registry has been established to gather information on the health of people who are pregnant who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. If people enrolled in v-safe report that they were pregnant at the time of vaccination or after vaccination, the registry staff* might contact them to learn more. Participation in v-safe is voluntary and participants may opt out at any time.

*Abt Associates has been contracted by the CDC to contact participants for CDC’s v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry.

People who are Pregnant

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are pregnant. In addition, everyone who is ages 18 and older, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future, should get a booster shot. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19, and a healthy mom is important for a healthy baby. If you are pregnant, you might want to have a conversation with your healthcare provider about COVID-19 vaccination. While such a conversation might be helpful, it is not required before vaccination. You can receive a COVID-19 vaccine, including a booster shot, without any additional documentation from your healthcare provider.

CDC recommendations align with those from professional medical organizations serving people who are pregnant, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, along with many other professional medical organizations.

If you got pregnant after receiving your first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine), you should get your second shot to get as much protection as possible. If you experience fever following vaccination, you should take acetaminophen (Tylenol^®) because fever—for any reason—has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

If you are pregnant and have questions about COVID-19 vaccine

If you would like to speak to someone about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, you can contact MotherToBaby whose experts are available to answer questions in English or Spanish by phone or chat. The free and confidential service is available Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm (local time). To reach MotherToBaby:

• Call 1-866-626-6847

People who are Breastfeeding

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are breastfeeding. In addition, everyone who is ages 18 and older, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future, should get a booster shot. Clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines currently used in the United States did not include people who are breastfeeding. Therefore, there are limited data available on the:

• Safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who are breastfeeding
• Effects of vaccination on the breastfed baby
• Effects on milk production or excretion

COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 infection in anyone, including the mother or the baby, and vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 in people who are breastfeeding. Recent reports have shown that breastfeeding people who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have antibodies in their breastmilk, which could help protect their babies. More data are needed to determine what level of protection these antibodies may provide to the baby.

Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 after Vaccination: Follow Recommendations

After you are fully vaccinated, you may be able to participate in many of the activities that you did before the pandemic.

If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions. CDC recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive an additional primary dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether getting an additional primary dose is appropriate for you.

Vaccine Side Effects

Side effects can occur after receiving any of the available COVID-19 vaccines, especially after the second dose for vaccines that require two doses. People who are pregnant have not reported different side effects from people who are not pregnant after vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines). If you experience fever following vaccination you should take acetaminophen (Tylenol^®) because fever—for any reason—has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Although rare, some people have had allergic reactions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have a history of allergic reaction to any other vaccine or injectable therapy (intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous).

Key considerations you can discuss with your healthcare provider include:

• The benefits of vaccination
• The unknown risks of developing a severe allergic reaction
• If you have an allergic reaction after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, you can receive treatment for it.

People Who Would Like to Have a Baby

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future, as well as their partners.

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine: Women younger than 50 years old should especially be aware of the rare risk of blood clots with low platelets after vaccination. There are other COVID-19 vaccines available for which this risk has not been seen.

Only you can give your baby protection against whooping cough (pertussis) before your little one is even born. Talk to your doctor or midwife about getting the whooping cough vaccine (called Tdap) during your third trimester.

Whooping cough is a serious disease that can be deadly for babies. Unfortunately, babies do not start building their own protection against whooping cough until they get vaccinated at two months old. This leaves babies unprotected in the first months of life when they are at highest risk of getting very sick if they get whooping cough.

Protect your baby before she is able to get vaccinated by getting a Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of your pregnancy. By doing so, you pass high levels of antibodies to your baby before birth. These antibodies help protect your baby against whooping cough in those first months of life.

CDC recommends all women receive a Tdap vaccine during the 27th through 36th week of each pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period.

Getting a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy passes protection to your baby

After receiving a Tdap vaccine, your body creates protective antibodies and passes some of them to your baby before birth. These antibodies provide your baby some short-term protection against whooping cough in early life. These antibodies can also protect your baby from some of the more serious complications, including hospitalization, that come along with getting whooping cough.

Protective antibodies are at their highest about 2 weeks after getting the vaccine, but it takes time to pass them to your baby. So the preferred time to get a Tdap vaccine is early in your third trimester.

The amount of whooping cough antibodies in your body decreases over time. That is why CDC recommends you get a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, even if your pregnancies are only a year or two apart. Doing so allows each of your babies to get the greatest number of protective antibodies and best protection possible.

The recommended time to get the shot is during your 27^ththrough 36^th week of pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period.

Vaccination during pregnancy offers the best protection

When women get a Tdap vaccine while pregnant, their babies have better protection against whooping cough than babies whose mothers did not get vaccinated during pregnancy. Getting a Tdap vaccine between 27 through 36 weeks of pregnancy lowers the risk of whooping cough in babies younger than 2 months old by 78%.

If you did not get a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy and have never received it before, you can get it after your baby is born. It will take about 2 weeks before your body develops protection (antibodies) in response to the vaccine. Once you have protection from the vaccine, you are less likely to give whooping cough to your newborn while caring for him. But remember, your baby will still be at risk for catching whooping cough from others.

Safe for you, your baby

A Tdap vaccine is very safe for pregnant women and their babies. You cannot get whooping cough from a Tdap vaccine. Getting the vaccine during pregnancy will not increase your risk for pregnancy complications.

Blood tests cannot tell if you need a Tdap vaccine

Experts do not know what level of whooping cough antibodies is needed to protect anyone, including babies, from getting sick. That is why CDC recommends all women get a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy — even women with some antibodies due to a previous infection or vaccine. The goal is to give each baby the greatest number of protective antibodies possible.

Breastfeeding may pass some protective antibodies onto your baby

You can pass some whooping cough antibodies to your baby by breastfeeding. By getting a Tdap vaccine during your pregnancy, you will have these antibodies in your breast milk as soon as your milk comes in. However, your baby will not get protective antibodies immediately if you wait until your baby is born to get the vaccine. This is because it takes about 2 weeks for your body to create antibodies.

Influenza (flu) is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant people than in people of reproductive age who are not pregnant. Changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy may make pregnant people (and people up to two weeks postpartum) more prone to severe illness from flu, including illness resulting in hospitalization. Flu also may be harmful for a pregnant person’s developing baby. A common flu symptom is fever, which may be associated with neural tube defects and other adverse outcomes for a developing baby. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy also can help protect a baby from flu during the first several months after birth (the pregnant parent passes antibodies on to the developing baby during pregnancy).

Pregnant women may safely receive inactivated vaccines, such as Tdap and the flu shot.

Vaccines help protect pregnant women and babies against serious diseases

Pregnant women share everything with their babies. That means when a pregnant woman gets vaccines, she isn’t just protecting herself— she is giving the baby some early protection too.

CDC has recommendations for the vaccines needed before, during, and after pregnancy. Currently, CDC routinely recommends Tdap and flu shots during pregnancy.

• Get the Tdap vaccine (to help protect against whooping cough), during pregnancy.
• The flu shot can be given before or during pregnancy, depending on whether or not it is flu season during a pregnancy.
• It is safe for pregnant women to receive vaccines right after giving birth, even while breastfeeding.
• Some vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, should be given a month or more before pregnancy if a pregnant woman didn’t get the vaccine as a child.

Live virus vaccines, such as the MMR and chickenpox shots, should not be given to pregnant women, but should be given to women before or after pregnancy, if indicated. Talk to your doctor about the MMR, Tdap, and flu vaccines before getting vaccinated.

Vaccine safety before, during, and after pregnancy

It’s important to know that the Tdap and flu vaccines are safe for a pregnant woman and her baby.

• These are inactivated vaccines, which means they are made by inactivating or killing the germ during the process of making the vaccine.
• Studies done on the Tdap vaccine have concluded that it is safe and effective for pregnant women and babies.
• Similarly, results from multiple studies on the flu shot continue to support the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine during pregnancy.

It is important for women to get MMR before they become pregnant to reduce the risk of Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), which can cause severe birth defects and neurodevelopmental problems. Even though MMR is a safe and effective vaccine, there is a theoretical risk to the baby. This is because it is a live vaccine, meaning it contains a weakened version of the living viruses.

• Live vaccines are generally not recommended during pregnancy.
• If a pregnant woman did not get MMR as a child, she should get the vaccine before pregnancy.

All vaccines are held to the highest standards of safety—meaning they are carefully studied and monitored for side effects. Vaccines are like any medicine, which means they can have some side effects. However, most people who get vaccinated have no side effects or only mild side effects. CDC continually monitors vaccine safety, and the most common side effects seen are mild and go away quickly on their own (redness, swelling, and tenderness at the site where the shot was given).

Are vaccines safe during pregnancy?

Certain vaccines are safe and recommended for women before, during, and after pregnancy to help keep them and their babies healthy. The antibodies mothers develop in response to these vaccines not only protect them, but also cross the placenta and help protect their babies from serious diseases early in life. Vaccinating during pregnancy also helps protect a mother from getting a serious disease and then giving it to her newborn.

Which vaccines should I get if I am pregnant?

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the specific vaccines you need are determined by your age, lifestyle, medical conditions, travel, and previous vaccinations.

If you are planning a pregnancy, talk with your healthcare provider about getting up to date on all your vaccines. Some vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, should be given a month or more before pregnancy. Your healthcare provider can help you determine if you need this or any other catch-up vaccine.

CDC recommends that pregnant women get two vaccines during every pregnancy: the inactivated flu vaccine (the injection, not the live nasal flu vaccine) and the Tdap vaccine.

Flu vaccine

CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine if you are pregnant during flu season. While flu seasons vary in their timing, CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, if possible. Getting vaccinated later during flu season, though, can still be beneficial. Flu vaccines have been given to millions of pregnant women over the years, and scientific evidence shows that it is safe. Getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your baby for several months after birth from flu-related complications.

Tdap vaccine

Pregnant women are also encouraged to get the Tdap vaccine at any time during pregnancy, but optimally between 27 and 36 weeks of each pregnancy, to protect yourself and your baby from pertussis, also known as whooping cough. This vaccine is recommended during every pregnancy, regardless of how long it has been since you previously received the Tdap vaccine. If you did not get a Tdap vaccine during your pregnancy and have never gotten it, CDC recommends that you get the vaccine immediately after giving birth.

It is safe for women to receive most vaccines right after giving birth, even while breastfeeding. More information about the safety of vaccines during breastfeeding.

Which vaccines should I not get if I am pregnant?

Some vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy, such as:

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Live influenza vaccine (nasal flu vaccine)
• Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine
• Certain travel vaccines: yellow fever, typhoid fever, and Japanese encephalitis
  Note: these travel vaccines should generally not be given during pregnancy, unless your healthcare provider determines that the benefits outweigh the risks.

If you get any of these vaccines and then find out you are pregnant, talk to your doctor. Further doses of the vaccines, if needed, should be given after you have completed the pregnancy.

Can a vaccine harm my developing baby?

Some vaccines, especially live vaccines, should not be given to pregnant women because they may be harmful to the baby. Keep in mind that vaccine recommendations for pregnant women are developed with the highest safety concerns for both mothers and babies.

Are vaccines safe if I am breastfeeding?

Yes. It is safe to receive routine vaccines right after giving birth, even while you are breastfeeding. However, yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for breastfeeding women unless travel to certain countries is unavoidable and a healthcare provider determines that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. Talk with your provider if you are considering yellow fever vaccine.

1. You aren’t just protecting yourself—vaccines during pregnancy give your baby some early protection too!

Did you know a baby can get some disease protection from the mom during pregnancy? Getting flu, Tdap (tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis), and COVID-19 vaccines while you’re pregnant helps your body create protective antibodies (proteins produced by the body to fight off diseases), and you can pass on some of those antibodies to your baby. These antibodies can protect your baby from those diseases during the first few months of life.

2. Flu, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccination while pregnant can help keep you and your little one safe.

CDC and a panel of experts who make vaccine recommendations have concluded that flu, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant women and their babies. These experts carefully reviewed the available safety data before recommending any vaccines during pregnancy.

Vaccines, like medicine, can have some side effects. But most people who get vaccinated have mild or no side effects. CDC continually monitors vaccine safety, and the most common side effects may include fever, tiredness, and body aches, as well as redness, swelling, and tenderness at the site where the shot was given.

3. The Tdap vaccine helps protect against whooping cough, which can be really dangerous for your baby.

You’ll need a Tdap vaccine during the 27th through 36th week of each pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period. Tdap helps protect against whooping cough (pertussis), which can be life-threatening for newborns.

About half of babies younger than 1 year old who get whooping cough need treatment in the hospital. The younger a baby is when they get whooping cough, the more likely the baby will need to be treated in a hospital. While some babies cough a lot, other babies with whooping cough don’t cough at all. Instead, it can cause them to stop breathing and turn blue. Siblings, parents, or caregivers who don’t know they have whooping cough can infect babies since the disease often causes mild symptoms in older children and adults.

4. Getting a flu vaccine while pregnant can help protect you and your baby against flu.

Changes in your immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from flu. Getting sick with flu when pregnant can put you at a higher risk of hospitalization and pregnancy complications, such as preterm labor and preterm birth. Flu may also be dangerous for your developing baby. Fever, a common flu symptom, may be associated with neural tube defects and other adverse outcomes.

Additionally, babies are more likely to get very sick from flu. When you get a flu vaccine during pregnancy, you pass antibodies along to your baby that can help protect them from flu in the first few months after they’re born, when they are too young to be vaccinated themselves.

Get a flu shot if you are pregnant during flu season—it’s the best way to protect yourself and your baby from flu. Flu vaccine is safe during pregnancy and can be given during any trimester.

5. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant can help protect you from getting very sick from COVID-19.

If you are pregnant or were recently pregnant, you are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 than people who are not pregnant. Additionally, if you have COVID-19 during pregnancy, you are more likely to have complications that can affect your pregnancy and developing baby.

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccination before and during pregnancy is safe and effective and suggests that the benefits of vaccination outweigh any known or potential risks. New data show that vaccination during pregnancy can help protect babies younger than 6 months old from hospitalization due to COVID-19.

People who are pregnant should stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, including getting a COVID-19 booster shot when it’s time to get one.

6. Timing of vaccinations is everything!

You know all about timing. Week after week, you are tracking your baby’s growth and development and counting down the days until you meet your little one! When it comes to vaccines, timing is also important.

• Flu seasons vary in their timing from season to season, but CDC recommends getting your flu vaccine by the end of October, regardless of where you are in your pregnancy. This timing helps ensure that you are protected before flu activity begins to increase.
• Instead of during a specific time of year, CDC recommends you get your Tdap vaccine in your third trimester. Getting Tdap between the 27th and 36th week, preferably during the earlier part of this time period, lets you pass the greatest amount of protective antibodies to your baby before birth. This will help keep your baby protected during their first few months of life when they are most vulnerable to serious disease and complications.
• COVID-19 vaccination is recommended at any point in pregnancy, as well as booster doses for those eligible.

7. Anyone who is around your baby needs vaccines too.

Newborns do not yet have fully developed immune systems, making them particularly vulnerable to infections. Older kids and adults can spread viruses to babies, even if they don’t feel very sick. Because of this, anyone who is around babies should be up to date on all routine vaccines, including Tdap, flu, and COVID-19 vaccination. This includes parents, eligible siblings, and any other caregivers, like grandparents, nannies, or babysitters. Anyone who needs vaccines should get them at least two weeks before meeting the baby because it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies after vaccination.

8. If you get pregnant again, you’ll need some vaccines again.

The amount of antibodies you have in your body after getting vaccinated decreases over time. When you get a vaccine during one pregnancy, your antibody levels may not stay high enough to provide enough protection for future pregnancies, even if your babies are close in age. So, make sure you give baby number 2 (and 3 and 4…) the greatest amount of protective antibodies and the best disease protection possible by getting your whooping cough vaccine each time you are pregnant. You should also get a flu shot every flu season.