Health

Immunizations

Immunization and Pregnancy

Vaccines help keep a pregnant woman and her growing family healthy.  Did  you know that a mother’s Immunity is passed along to her baby during pregnancy?  This will protect the baby from some diseases during the first few months of life until the baby can get vaccinated.

BEFORE PREGNANCY:

  • Before becoming pregnant, a woman should be up-to-date on routine adult vaccines.  This will help protect her and her child.  Live vaccines should be give a month or more before pregnancy.  Inactivated vaccines can be given before or during pregnancy, if needed.

DURING PREGNANCY:

  • Flu Vaccine – it is save, and very important, for a pregnant woman to receive the inactivated flu vaccine.  A pregnant woman who gets the flu is at risk for serious complications and hospitalization.  To learn more about preventing the flu, visit the CDC website www.cdc.gov/flu.
  • Travel – Many vaccine-preventable diseases, rarely seen in the United States, are still common in other parts of the world.  A pregnant woman planning international travel should talk to her health provisional about vaccines.  Information about travel vaccines can be fund at CDC’s traveler’s health website at www.cdc.gov/travel.
  • Childhood Vaccines – Pregnancy is a good time to learn about childhood vaccines.  Parents-to-be can learn more about childhood vaccines from the CDC parents guide and from the child and adolescent vaccination schedules.  This information can be downloaded and printed at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.

AFTER PREGNANCY:

  • It is safe for a woman to receive vaccines right after giving birth, even while she is breastfeeding.  A woman who has not received the new vaccine for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) should be vaccinated right after delivery.  Vaccinating a new mother against pertussis (whooping cough) reduces the risk to her infant too.  Also a woman who is not immune to measles, mumps and rubella and/or varicella (chicken pox) should be vaccinated before leaving the hospital.  If inactivated influenza vaccine was not given during pregnancy, a woman should receive it now because it will protect her infant.  LAIV may be an option.

Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov for more information.  Or get an answer to your specific question by e-mailing cdcinfo@cdc.gov or calling 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4626) available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week in English or Spanish. 

For more information, or to schedule an appointment for immunization, contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580, extension 5000.