Immunizations and Pregnancy - What You Need to Know

Marijan Gospodnetic, MD
Richmond Women's Specialists
Johnston-Willis Hospital

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and with it, a need for education not just on the importance of immunizations as a whole, but specifically during the delicate months of pregnancy. Vaccines help keep pregnant women and their growing families healthy, and are necessary for the protection of your children and those in the community from vaccine-preventable diseases. Many terms are used when discussing this segment of preventive medicine, but the three main ones are: vaccines, vaccinations, and immunizations.

Vaccines are the products that produce immunity from a disease and can be administered orally, via injection, or through an aerosol spray. There are two types of vaccines, inactivated and live, and these present different indications after administration. Vaccinations are the act of administering the vaccine that produces immunity in the body against the organism. Immunization is the process by which one becomes protected from a disease. Vaccines cause immunization, and sometimes diseases can also trigger immunization after the individual recovers from the disease.

There are three distinct stages to a woman’s pregnancy, prenatal (before), perinatal (during), and postnatal (after). All of these have specific vaccine and immunization recommendations that should be followed.

Before Pregnancy

As you consider expanding your family, you should ensure that you are current on all routine vaccines as indicated by age and individual health factors. The vaccine statuses of which you should be aware are: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) if you are age 26 or younger, Influenza (flu shot), Measles, Mumps, and Rubella – MMR (live), Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis), and Varicella – Chicken Pox (live). If you receive a live vaccine, you should refrain from conception for at least four weeks while establishing immunity.

During Pregnancy

Congratulations – you’re now expecting! Among all the health questions that arise, one of the biggest is: what medicines and vaccines are safe during this time? The most important vaccine during pregnancy is for influenza. The “flu shot” is given annually to combat the anticipated strains of flu circulating in that given year, and it is of paramount importance for pregnant women to receive the inactivated flu vaccine. Contracting the flu during pregnancy puts you at serious risk for complications and hospitalization, and symptoms can be detrimental to the pregnancy. You should also get the Tdap vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis during each pregnancy. Ideally, this will be administered between weeks 27 and 36 of your pregnancy, in your third trimester.

Some of a woman’s immunity to disease is passed along to their baby during pregnancy, protecting them from some diseases during the first few months of life, before the baby’s 2-month checkup, when initial vaccines are routinely administered. In addition to boosting your immunity during pregnancy, you should be cautious about travel to areas known to be common locations for vaccine-preventable diseases. Talk to your physician about any planned international travel and work together on a care plan if the trip is unavoidable. More information about travel vaccines can also be found at Centerfor Disease Control’s traveler health website: www.cdc.gov/travel.

After Pregnancy

It is safe for women to receive routine vaccines immediately after giving birth, even while breastfeeding. This is also an important time to begin educating yourself on childhood vaccination schedules for your new addition. If you haven’t received your Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you should have it administered right after delivery. Also, women should receive the pertussis (whooping cough), MMR, and varicella vaccines to reduce risks to both her and her infant.

For further inquiries about immunizations, vaccines, pregnancy, obstetrics, or general gynecology, contact Marijan Gospodnetic, MD, of Richmond Women’s Specialists at 804.267.6931 or visit richmondwomens.com.