Immunization During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in every woman’s life, when she anticipates welcoming a sweet little miracle into her life. During her pregnancy, every mother is concerned with the safety of her child. For a healthy child, a pregnant mother should make sure she eats nutritious food, exercises, and has regular checkups. However, this is not enough. To ensure safety of her child, a pregnant woman should also take the necessary vaccination in pregnancy after consulting her doctor.

Why is vaccination important during pregnancy?

Infections and illnesses during pregnancy put the mother at risk. They may also affect the growth and development of the baby and could put the child’s life in danger. Vaccinations during pregnancy are an important step toward protecting both the mother and the child from some of these diseases.

Vaccinations in a pregnant woman produce antibodies to fight the infections. Some of these antibodies are passed on to the child through the placenta, thus protecting the mother as well as the child. This process is called passive immunization. Immunization during pregnancy protects the child from diseases during pregnancy as well as for some time after the child is born.

However, you should not wait for pregnancy to get vaccinated since some vaccines cannot be given during pregnancy. The immunization process in a woman should begin long before she gets pregnant. Both partners should get themselves checked for any infections or diseases, and should be up-to-date on all their adult vaccines before starting a family to ensure a healthy and safe baby.

How to make sure you get all the required vaccines?

As soon as you realise you are pregnant, you should visit a doctor who will advise a number of tests to check for deficiencies or disease. Accordingly, the doctor prescribes medicines, suggestions for a healthy diet, and makes a pregnancy injection chart.

It is important to keep up with the immunization schedule so that all important vaccines are administered in time.

These pregnancy shots may differ from woman to woman, but a few vaccines are commonly advised. An example of a commonly advised vaccine is Tdap during pregnancy, which protects the baby from tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. During the flu season, a flu vaccine may also be given to avoid complications of flu in both mother and child.

Are vaccines safe in pregnancy?

Vaccines are tested by the FDA for purity and safety; however, a pregnant woman should inform the doctor if she is allergic to a substance so that the doctor can suggest an alternative if need be.

Some vaccines should not be given during pregnancy, for example, the Hepatitis A  and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines should be avoided during pregnancy as they are not safe for the baby.

Your doctor should be able to advise you which vaccines are safe for you and your baby.

Also read: A Tetanus Injection Is Indispensable During Pregnancy

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