Vaccines During Pregnancy: What to Know, Who to Ask, and Where to Go

By Karen Crowley

DNP, APRN-BC, WHNP, ANP, CNE, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)

(NAPSI)—Pregnancy is more than preparing for delivery; it also offers the first opportunity to protect your baby’s health. Maternal vaccines—including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu, Tdap, and COVID-19—not only help protect you from severe disease, they also help your body create immunity that is passed on to your baby. This early protection is especially important in your newborn’s first months of life, when they are most vulnerable. 

Routine maternal vaccination has been used for years. These vaccines continue to be rigorously tested, closely monitored, and recommended by leading and long-trusted medical organizations around the world.

What to Know

My organization—the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)—along with every other major nursing organization and medical society, recommends Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of communicable respiratory illness for pregnant women and their babies.

Here’s important information about each of them: 

•Flu: The flu vaccine can be administered at any stage of pregnancy, and it helps lower the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and pneumonia. High fevers in pregnancy can also raise the risk of complications such as preterm birth, making vaccination an important safeguard for both mother and baby. 

•RSV: The RSV vaccine is recommended in the third trimester (weeks 32 through 36) of pregnancy during RSV season in most regions of the US. This vaccine protects newborns from RSV—the leading cause of hospitalization in infants under age 1­—and offers protection against serious cases and complications. 

•Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis): The Tdap vaccine is recommended between weeks 27 through 36 of pregnancy and helps shield newborns from whooping cough, a disease that can be life-threatening in the first months of life. 

•COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy. This vaccination protects you from severe illness and lowers the risk of complications, such as preterm birth, stillbirth, and pregnancy loss. COVID-19 vaccination also passes protective antibodies to your baby, offering early immunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 vaccination based on individual decision-making, which is also known as a shared clinical decision-making approach. This approach encourages anyone pregnant to talk to a healthcare provider, such as a nurse, doctor, or pharmacist, to help assess if the vaccine is right for them. AWHONN continues to support and encourage pregnant women to talk with their providers about vaccination. Leading medical groups, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, also continue to recommend maternal COVID-19 vaccination.

Nearly all maternal vaccines are covered at no cost through most insurance plans, including employer-sponsored and Medicaid plans. That means you can focus on your baby’s health without unexpected expenses. You can get vaccines during routine prenatal visits with your prenatal care team, including your neonatal nurse, obstetrician-gynecologist, or midwife. Your local pharmacy will likely also carry maternal vaccines. 

Maternal Vaccine Tips

To help things go smoothly when getting vaccinated, here are five tips: 

1.Talk with your prenatal care team about which vaccines you need and the right timing for each. 

2.If your provider doesn’t offer maternal vaccines, check with your local pharmacy. 

3.Confirm your insurance coverage, especially if you are planning to use a pharmacy. Most plans cover maternal vaccines fully, but it’s worth verifying in advance. 

4.Ask for help if needed. Your provider can offer referrals, help with insurance questions, and while not required, write prescriptions. 

5.If challenges arise, advocate for yourself and engage your prenatal care team for support. 

By making vaccines part of your prenatal care, you’re not only protecting yourself­—you’re helping to protect your baby before they’re even born. In some cases, maternal vaccination can even mean one less shot for your baby after birth. 

Maternal vaccines are safe, effective, and one of the simplest ways to give your child the healthiest start possible. To learn more about vaccines during pregnancy, visit www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/vaccine-safety-during-pregnancy. 

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 "Maternal vaccines are safe, effective, and one of the simplest ways to give your child the healthiest start possible, advises the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)."