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Ask the AIPO Experts
Clinical answers to vaccine questions
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Pregnant people share everything with their babies. That means when a pregnant person gets vaccines, she isn’t just protecting herself—she is giving her baby some early protection, too.
Certain vaccines are recommended for women during pregnancy and after delivery to help keep them and their babies healthy. The antibodies mothers develop in response to these vaccines not only protect themselves, 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.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women receive three vaccines: Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis), influenza (flu), and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in order to protect both the pregnant person and her infant..
- A Tdap vaccine should be given during each pregnancy to help protect against whooping cough. The optimal timing is as early as possible during the gestational period of 27-36 weeks.
- An influenza shot is needed for those who will be pregnant during influenza season regardless of the stage of pregnancy.
- COVID-19 vaccines can be given safely during pregnancy. COVID-19 vaccination decreases the risk of COVID-19-related severe illness and stillbirth.
- Live-attenuated viral vaccines, such as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, should not be given to pregnant people. Instead, live-attenuated viral vaccines should be given after pregnancy, if indicated.
- It is safe for pregnant people to receive any needed vaccine right after giving birth, even while breastfeeding.
The recommended COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people are mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech). The Novavax subunit COVID-19 vaccine is also an option. The J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for use only in certain limited situations.
Even before becoming pregnant, it is important to become up-to-date on all vaccines. This is another way to protect the pregnant person and the fetus from serious diseases.
No evidence exists of risks to the fetus from vaccinating pregnant people with inactivated viral vaccines, inactivated bacterial vaccines, or toxoids. In contrast, since live vaccines administered to a pregnant person could pose a theoretical risk to the fetus, live-attenuated viral and live-attenuated bacterial vaccines generally are contraindicated during pregnancy. Also, the HPV vaccine, although a non-live vaccine, is currently not recommended during pregnancy.
“Benefits of vaccinating pregnant women usually outweigh potential risks when the likelihood of disease exposure is high, when infection would pose a risk to the mother or fetus, and when the vaccine is unlikely to cause harm.”
Kroger A, Bahta L, Hunter P. General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization. Best Practices Guidance of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
For Health-Care Providers
Vaccines and Pregnancy | CDC
Pregnancy Guidelines and Recommendations by Vaccine | CDC
Tdap (Pertussis) Vaccine and Pregnancy | American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology (ACOG)
Influenza (Flu) Vaccine and Pregnancy | ACOG
COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy | American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG)
For Patients
Vaccines Before Pregnancy | CDC
Vaccines During and After Pregnancy | CDC
Vaccine Safety for Moms-to-Be | CDC
Vaccines for Family and Caregivers | CDC
Vaccines During Pregnancy FAQs | Vaccine Safety | CDC
Pregnancy and Vaccination Fact Sheet | CDC
The Arizona Immunization Program Office (AIPO) has clinical staff available to assist with your immunization questions (or contact your local county health department).
Sharon Sweeney, BSN, MPH, sharon.sweeney@azdhs.gov, 480-261-5557
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