At their doctor’s recommendation, pregnant women often try to limit the number of medicines they’re taking, stop drinking alcohol, and stop smoking to protect the baby developing in their wombs. But what about vaccinations? If a pregnant women needs to be immunized, is it safe for her to do so?
Keep in mind that some infections that take place during pregnancy can cause birth defects in the fetus. Diseases like the measles can increase the risks of a pregnant woman having a miscarriage or delivering a premature baby. But many high-risk infections can be prevented if women get the recommended vaccinations before trying to become pregnant.
Once a woman is pregnant, a key factor in immunizing her is whether the vaccine is made with live or inactivated (killed) viruses. Because of the theoretical risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus, pregnant women should not be immunized with live vaccines (eg,MMR and chickenpox). As a general guideline, you should avoid becoming pregnant for 28 days after being given either the MMR or chickenpox vaccine.
Other immunizations, however, are especially important for pregnant women to consider having. For example, women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy have a greater risk of problems from the flu. Because the presently available influenza shot (but not the influenza nasal spray) is made from an inactivated virus, the vaccine itself is safe for pregnant women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the influenza vaccine for women who are beyond the first trimester of pregnancy during the flu season. By the way, all vaccines can be given safely to breastfeeding mothers.
