Pregnancy & Vaccines
Make sure you’re vaccinated
Before pregnancy:
- MMR vaccine (get one month or more before pregnancy, unless you’re already protected)
During pregnancy:
- Tdap vaccine (to help protect against whooping cough)
- Flu vaccine (if pregnant during flu season)
After pregnancy:
- It’s safe to receive vaccines after giving birth, even while you are breastfeeding
Get the whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) in the third trimester of each pregnancy.
Whooping cough can be really dangerous for your baby, and you may not even know he has it.
Get the flu shot by the end of October if you are pregnant during flu season.
Catching flu when you are pregnant can lead to serious pregnancy complications for you and your baby.
Other vaccines you may need:
The need for vaccines such as hepatitis A, meningococcal, and others may be recommended if you have certain health conditions, work in a lab, or travel to countries with increased risk of exposure to the vaccine-preventable disease.
Talk to your doctor at least 4 to 6 weeks before international travel to discuss any special precautions or vaccines that you may need.
Talk to your doctor about getting tested for hepatitis B and whether or not you should get vaccinated.