Vaccines cause your body to make protective antibodies against the disease for which you are being vaccinated. Newborns cannot get many vaccines until they are 2-6 months old. Some of the antibodies from the vaccines that you get when you are pregnant are passed to your baby before birth. This helps protect your baby from illness during the first few months.

Be sure to discuss the vaccines you have had with your physician. Your physician will recommend the vaccines you need based on your medical history and lifestyle.

If you do not get the recommended vaccines when you are pregnant, talk to your physician about vaccines you can get right after the baby is born.

Are vaccines safe?

Most vaccines are safe for you and your baby. Several infectious diseases, such as the flu, are much more severe during pregnancy and we encourage all pregnant women to receive the flu vaccine during pregnancy.

Vaccines that are safe during pregnancy include:

• Influenza
• Pneumonia
• Hepatitis A and B
• Tdap
• COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the hepatitis A vaccine can be considered in pregnancy and risks of the vaccine should be weighed against the risk of developing the virus in pregnancy.

Vaccines that should not be given during pregnancy:

• Nasal spray flu vaccine
• Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine