Should I Get Vaccinated During Pregnancy?
Obie Editorial Team
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is the group of medical and public health experts that develops the annual recommendations on who should be vaccinated with what and when. The committee is made up of experts in infectious disease and includes a consumer representative who provides perspectives on the social and community aspects of vaccination. No employees of pharmaceutical companies are permitted on the committee.
The ACIP says:
Yes, you should get these vaccines during pregnancy:
Maybe you should get these vaccines during pregnancy:
Certain pregnant women who are at risk for other contagious diseases (due to medical, lifestyle, or job-related risks) can safely receive these vaccines. These include women whose immunity is low due to other medical conditions, women who use street drugs or who live or work with people who do, and women who travel to countries where these diseases are common. Talk this over with your health care provider.
No, you should not get these vaccines during pregnancy:
ACIP recommends against the use of live attenuated virus vaccines during pregnancy. Hopefully you are immune from these diseases before you get pregnant either from having been vaccinated in the past or having the diseases during childhood. If you are not sure, get tested. If you are not immune, get vaccinated at least 3 months before trying to conceive. If you are pregnant and not immune, get vaccinated after you deliver, whether or not you are breastfeeding. If you get vaccinated and find out you are pregnant within three months, don’t panic. There is a very low risk that the vaccine harmed your pregnancy. The diseases themselves can do more harm to an unborn baby than the vaccines do.
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