Our top priority is to keep you and baby healthy. That’s why we want you to have your vaccines. When you are pregnant, you share everything with your baby. When you get vaccines, you are protecting yourself as well as your baby. You should get a flu shot and whooping cough vaccine (also called Tdap) during each pregnancy to help protect you and your baby.
Flu vaccine
During pregnancy, the changes in your immune, heart and lung functions make you more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. You also have a better chance of serious problems for your developing baby, like premature labor and delivery. If you are pregnant during flu season, get the flu shot. This can protect you and your baby from flu-related issues for several months after birth.
The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine by the end of October if possible. Flu seasons do vary but this timing will help protect you before flu activity begins to rise.
Learn more about flu vaccinations from the CDC by visiting www.cdc.gov/flu/.
Whooping cough vaccine
Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be serious for anyone. It can be life-threatening for your newborn. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 20 babies die each year in the U.S. due to whooping cough. The younger the baby is when he or she gets whooping cough, the more likely they will need to go to the hospital for treatment.
It may be hard for you to know if your baby has whooping cough. This is because many babies with this disease don't cough at all. The disease just causes them to stop breathing and turn blue.
Your health care provider may want you to have the pertussis vaccine during your pregnancy. When you do, your body will create antibodies. Some of these antibodies will pass to your baby before birth. This will give your baby some short-term protection against whooping cough.
Learn more about vaccinations for whooping cough from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/.
Flu vaccine
During pregnancy, the changes in your immune, heart and lung functions make you more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. You also have a better chance of serious problems for your developing baby, like premature labor and delivery. If you are pregnant during flu season, get the flu shot. This can protect you and your baby from flu-related issues for several months after birth.
The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine by the end of October if possible. Flu seasons do vary but this timing will help protect you before flu activity begins to rise.
Learn more about flu vaccinations from the CDC by visiting www.cdc.gov/flu/.
Whooping cough vaccine
Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be serious for anyone. It can be life-threatening for your newborn. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 20 babies die each year in the U.S. due to whooping cough. The younger the baby is when he or she gets whooping cough, the more likely they will need to go to the hospital for treatment.
It may be hard for you to know if your baby has whooping cough. This is because many babies with this disease don't cough at all. The disease just causes them to stop breathing and turn blue.
Your health care provider may want you to have the pertussis vaccine during your pregnancy. When you do, your body will create antibodies. Some of these antibodies will pass to your baby before birth. This will give your baby some short-term protection against whooping cough.
Learn more about vaccinations for whooping cough from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/.