It’s always good to keep your vaccinations up to date, but during pregnancy, it’s even more important to do so. Therefore, vaccines during pregnancy should be kept current, whether they are specific to pregnancy or not.

However, there are still some vaccines during pregnancy that must be taken without fail and with your obstetrician’s recommendation. These are very important for both the mother’s and the baby’s health, since the antibody cells pass to the baby through the placenta.

Vaccines That Are Not Recommended

Let’s see which are the main vaccines during pregnancy, which should not be taken, and how to know if your vaccination record is up to date:

Vaccines during pregnancy are those made from inactivated, dead antibodies, meaning they do not pose a risk to the mother or, especially, the baby. Some diseases that used to be a problem have now been eradicated with vaccines given even while the woman is pregnant. The seven-day illness, now known to simply be a birth complication, and tetanus, were eradicated with vaccines and also with proper care at the time of delivery1.

 

Booster Vaccines During Pregnancy

That’s why the tetanus vaccine is the first to be on this list and is also the most important for pregnant women. Which booster vaccines should you take during pregnancy?

Pregnancy Vaccine: Tetanus or Adult Diphtheria-Tetanus or Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis

These vaccines during pregnancy are very important. Besides protecting against tetanus, they can also protect against diphtheria and whooping cough. Usually, your obstetrician will ask for your vaccination card and check the validity of the last tetanus shot you received before becoming pregnant.

The interval for this vaccine is 5 years, and if necessary, a new dose will be recommended. Thanks to this vaccine, neonatal tetanus has been eradicated. It should be taken after the 12th week of pregnancy with complete safety. Remember, this vaccine during pregnancy should be acellular and is available free of charge at health clinics.

Hepatitis B

This is also one of the vaccines during pregnancy that is very important to remember. The vaccine against hepatitis B protects against liver diseases that can develop into cancer or cirrhosis.

Since hepatitis2 is a silent disease, it can develop overnight without any symptoms and become a huge risk to both the mother’s and the baby’s health. This vaccine should be taken starting from the second trimester of pregnancy.

Flu Vaccine (Influenza)

The flu is very common and can pose an increased risk for pregnant women because a pregnant woman’s immunity is lower, making her more susceptible to the disease during pregnancy. It can also cause more serious complications such as pneumonia.

In fact, pregnant women were chosen as a priority group to receive the type 1 influenza vaccine (H1N1). The flu vaccine, both regular influenza and H1N1, can be taken from the beginning of pregnancy. It is one of the vaccines during pregnancy that does not have any contraindications3. In addition to those mentioned above, other vaccines are also approved by the Ministry of Health. They are:

  • 23-valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide
  • Bivalent Meningitis
  • Yellow Fever
  • Inactivated Polio Vaccine

Which vaccines during pregnancy should not be taken

According to the Ministry of Health’s vaccination guide, vaccines that should not be taken during pregnancy are those based on live viruses and present a serious risk to the baby’s health, so these should only be taken after childbirth.

Vaccines such as HPV, measles, mumps, and rubella can cause birth defects in the baby, including heart defects and abnormal cell development like deafness, blindness, and more. These vaccines should ideally be taken before pregnancy, but if that’s not possible, they can only be taken after pregnancy.

However, if your obstetrician has not yet told you to get vaccinated during pregnancy, bring your vaccination card to be reviewed. If necessary, the vaccine will be recommended and can be administered at any basic health clinic in your neighborhood.

See also: Medications in Pregnancy – Use Safely!