• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Buyer’s Guide

Are vaccinations dangerous when I’m pregnant?

01/11/2013 by Leave a Comment

No, they are not. Many vaccines have been carefully tested and monitored for safety among pregnant women. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated for both influenza, the virus that causes “the flu,” and pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough. By receiving vaccinations against these preventable diseases, pregnant women can take an important first step toward having a happy, healthy baby.
Expectant mothers who contract the flu during their pregnancy have a much greater chance of developing serious health problems, including premature delivery. Over 200,000 people are hospitalized in the US for flu-related complications each year, and the flu poses a significant threat to pregnant women and their unborn babies.  By simply getting vaccinated, expectant mothers can transfer antibodies that combat the flu to their babies during pregnancy and provide protection against flu in the first six months of life before the baby can be vaccinated.

The Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, protects the mother and may also protect her baby. Newborn infants who are infected with pertussis have the highest risk of death from the disease. Thus, CDC recommends Tdap vaccination for all pregnant women during the third trimester of pregnancy to protect the baby in the first few months of life. CDC also recommends all adults who will be around your baby get a Tdap vaccine as well.

There may be other vaccines needed depending on your other health conditions. If you are planning to have a baby or have recently become pregnant, speak with your doctor about which vaccines you may need to protect both yourself and your baby. For more information on the vaccines recommended for adults, including pregnant women, visit the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) website.

 

About Dr. Laura E. Riley:

Dr. Laura E. Riley is a mother and an obstetrician. She is the director of Labor and Delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital and author of You and Your Baby: Pregnancy: The Ultimate Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

More to See

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

03/28/2019 By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

second baby

Second baby: Is it time to grow your family?

01/27/2021 By Elizabeth Pantley

risks of marijuana use during pregnancy

Risks of marijuana use during pregnancy: Expecting mothers need to know

02/01/2021 By Opinion Contributors

Footer

Copyright 2021 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • What expecting mothers need to know to cope with nesting
  • Risks of marijuana use during pregnancy: Expecting mothers need to know
  • Second baby: Is it time to grow your family?
  • How can soon-to-be-moms reduce stress during pregnancy?
  • 10 Ways New Parents Can Get More Sleep

Search

© Copyright 2021 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.