Overview

Your immunity protects both you and your unborn baby (fetus). After you have been immunized (vaccinated) against or infected by a virus or bacteria, your body forms an immunity to it. Full immunity can protect you from future infection, either for a lifetime or a limited period. Partial immunity strengthens how well your body can fight that infection.

Before you become pregnant, be sure to review your immunization history with your doctor. Even if you had a vaccine as a child, it doesn't guarantee that you are now fully immune. It depends on the virus or bacteria. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, make sure that you are up to date with your routine immunizations before you get pregnant.

Before pregnancy: Rubella, measles, mumps, chickenpox

Rubella, measles, mumps, and chickenpox can harm a growing fetus. They can cause birth defects, fetal death, or premature birth. Chickenpox can also be dangerous for you when you're pregnant.

If you don't know whether you're immune to rubella, measles, or chickenpox, talk to your healthcare provider about a blood test for antibodies to these viruses. If you aren't immune, get the immunizations before you get pregnant. You should not get pregnant for 1 month after getting these vaccines, so keep using birth control for at least 4 weeks.

Before or during pregnancy: Flu (influenza), COVID-19, and whooping cough (pertussis)

Influenza, COVID-19, and whooping cough (pertussis) are dangerous diseases for newborns and young infants. Influenza and COVID-19 can also be dangerous for you when you're pregnant. Getting the influenza, COVID-19, and dTap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccines during pregnancy is considered safe for your baby. And these vaccines protect both you and your newborn. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends:

• Get the influenza vaccine before or during your pregnancy if you didn't already get the yearly influenza vaccine. This is especially important if you have a chronic health problem (including asthma). The intranasal vaccine (sprayed up your nose) contains live virus, so it is not used during pregnancy.
• Get a dTap vaccine during each pregnancy. The best time to get this vaccine is between 27 and 32 weeks pregnant. In some situations your healthcare provider may recommend dTap be given earlier. Talk to your healthcare provider about when to get the dTap vaccine.
• People who expect to have close contact with your baby should also get the influenza and dTap vaccines if they haven't had them. It's best to get them at least 2 weeks before contact with your baby.

If you are already pregnant and are not immune

• Rubella, measles, or chickenpox: If you are not immune to these diseases, your healthcare provider may recommend that you wait until after childbirth to have the vaccine. Instead, you must take every precaution to prevent exposure to these viruses while you're pregnant.
• Other vaccines: If you are at risk of being exposed to hepatitis A, hepatitis B, polio, meningitis, or pneumococcal bacteria, your healthcare provider may recommend that you get vaccinated against these infections during pregnancy.