Articles

Key takeaways

• Vaccines in pregnancy pass protective antibodies to your baby.
• Flu, whooping cough, and RSV vaccines are recommended.
• These vaccines are safe and protect both you and your baby.
• Discuss your vaccination choices with your healthcare professional.

Recommended vaccines during pregnancy

When you have a vaccine during pregnancy, your body creates protective antibodies. These antibodies then pass to your baby through the placenta. This means your baby gets protection from your antibodies (a process known as passive immunity).

The vaccines offered during pregnancy have been thoroughly tested. They are considered safe for both you and your baby.

Flu vaccine

The flu vaccine is recommended at any stage of pregnancy. Pregnant women have a higher chance of developing complications from flu. This risk is particularly true in the later stages of pregnancy.

The flu vaccine is safe and effective. It will help protect both you and your baby.

Whooping cough vaccine

The whooping cough vaccine is recommended for pregnant women. It is safe and effective. It helps protect your baby from whooping cough in their first few weeks of life.

The best time to get this vaccine is from week 16 up to week 38 of your pregnancy. If you have it after week 38, it may still offer some protection. However, earlier vaccination within this window is ideal.

RSV vaccine

A vaccine to protect against a common virus that affects the lungs and breathing passages (respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV) is recommended for pregnant women. It helps protect your baby from severe RSV infection after birth. The vaccine is offered between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy.

This timing is important. It allows enough time for you to produce antibodies. These antibodies then pass to your baby before birth.

This provides protection during their first few months of life. Babies are most vulnerable to RSV during this time.

Vaccines for specific circumstances

Some vaccines may be recommended based on your individual risk factors. This includes travel plans or potential exposure to certain illnesses.

Hepatitis A vaccine

The hepatitis A vaccine can be given during pregnancy. People at high risk of catching hepatitis A include travellers to certain areas.

These areas include:

• India
• Pakistan
• Bangladesh
• Nepal
• Sub-Saharan and North Africa
• Parts of the Far East
• South and Central America
• The Middle East

Some people who work in laboratories also face a higher risk.

Hepatitis A vaccines reduce your risk of catching the virus. This can prevent complications for both you and your baby. There are no known risks of getting vaccinated against hepatitis A in pregnancy.

The Department of Health in the UK recommends this vaccine if needed. Hepatitis A infection can cause severe illness. It can also increase the chance of your baby being born early (a preterm delivery).

Hepatitis B vaccine

Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver. All pregnant women are offered a blood test for hepatitis B early in pregnancy. This is part of your routine antenatal care.

If you have hepatitis B, you could pass the infection to your baby. This can happen during pregnancy or birth.

Your maternity team will plan your care with you. You may or may not be offered the hepatitis B vaccine. The Department of Health in the UK recommends this vaccine if doctors feel it is necessary.

Live vaccines

Some vaccines use live viruses. These are generally not recommended during pregnancy. This is a precaution. There is a very small, theoretical risk that the live virus in the vaccine could pass to your baby. Examples of live vaccines include:

• Tuberculosis vaccine – (BCG)
• Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine – (MMR)
• Oral typhoid
• Yellow fever

Sometimes, a live vaccine may be used during pregnancy. This happens if the risk of you catching the illness is much higher than the very small, theoretical risk from the vaccine itself. Your midwife, GP, or pharmacist can give you more advice.

Travel vaccines in pregnancy

It is best to avoid visiting countries where travel vaccinations are required. If this is not possible, talk to your GP or a travel nurse. They can explain any risks and benefits of the vaccines you might need. If there is a high chance of getting an infection, it may be safer to have the vaccine. Most diseases will be more harmful to your baby than a vaccine. For example, yellow fever is a serious illness spread by mosquitoes. It can be life-threatening.

The yellow fever vaccine is a live vaccine. However, it may be considered necessary if you are travelling to areas where the risk of yellow fever is very high.

Making an informed decision with your healthcare professional

It is understandable to worry about vaccine safety when you are pregnant. There is also a lot of misinformation about vaccination in pregnancy. The decision to have any vaccination in pregnancy is always your choice.

The RSV, flu, and whooping cough vaccines are offered to all pregnant women. This is because there is good evidence that they are safe. They also help protect babies from serious illness.

You may want to discuss your options with your healthcare professional. Make sure you understand as much as you can about vaccination.

Speak to your midwife for more information. Ask them how to get your vaccines during pregnancy. You can also find reliable information on vaccine safety from trusted sources. Public Health Scotland is a member of the Vaccine Safety Net. This is a global network of websites evaluated by the World Health Organisation. They provide reliable information on vaccine safety.