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New and expecting parents

expecting parents

Vaccination can protect both parents and their babies before, during and after pregnancy.

A person’s immune system is slightly weakened when they are pregnant. This can mean they are less able to fight off an infection. This, coupled with other changes that happen in the body during pregnancy mean that pregnant people can be at higher risk from certain infections and potential complications. For example, COVID-19 and flu can both be more severe during pregnancy.

A pregnant person shares their immune system with their unborn baby and some infections they contract can also affect their baby. Diseases like rubella and chickenpox (varicella) can cause congenital defects. They can increase the risk of miscarriage – as can the flu. Making sure you are up to date with vaccinations against rubella and chickenpox (if you have not previously had chickenpox) and getting vaccinated if necessary before pregnancy helps protect both parent and child. 

Some vaccines are recommended to be taken during pregnancy, and these also help to protect a newborn child in the critical period immediately after birth before they are able to be vaccinated. 

This section will help new and expecting parents navigate vaccination before, during and after pregnancy so they can put their focus and energy on their new family. 

Vaccination during pregnancy

Vaccinating a pregnant person protects them from potentially severe disease and complications during their pregnancy and can also extend that protection to a newborn after birth.

Prospective, new and expecting parents Q&A

We’re planning a baby, what vaccines should I get beforehand?

If you are planning to become pregnant you should make sure you have been vaccinated against rubella and speak to your doctor about any other vaccinations you might need. If caught during pregnancy, rubella can cause miscarriage or serious harm to the baby such as lifelong disability.

If someone has not had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, it is also important to consider the vaccine against this disease,  as chickenpox can cause severe complications in the baby if caught during pregnancy. 

It is important to speak to your doctor about vaccination and pregnancy and your specific needs. 

Find out about vaccination before pregnancy and how to protect your unborn child click here.

Vaccines taken during pregnancy (maternal vaccination), against diseases such as whooping cough (pertussis), flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), may be recommended as they can help protect your baby during its first few months of life and until it is old enough to be vaccinated.   

Please note that you cannot be vaccinated against all the diseases during pregnancy. For example, you cannot be vaccinated against rubella or varicella, as these are live vaccines that contain a weakened version of the germ that causes the disease. They are usually recommended to be taken prior to getting pregnant if possible.

It is important to speak to your doctor about vaccination and pregnancy and your specific needs. 

To find out more about vaccination during pregnancy click here.

Can vaccines affect my chances of becoming pregnant?

Vaccination does not affect fertility. There is no evidence that any vaccines have any negative impact on men’s or women’s fertility. 

Some vaccines, such as those against rubella and RSV, can help protect your baby during pregnancy and after birth. For more information, click here and here. 

Vaccination is safe for both you and your child. However, if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, it is important to let your doctor know and have a conversation about which vaccines are recommended in your situation and which should be delayed until a later date. 

When pregnant, it is important to consult national guidelines and your doctor regarding vaccination. Some vaccines are recommended during pregnancy to help protect you and your unborn child (RSV, COVID-19, flu).

Find out about national recommendations on vaccination during pregnancy here.

Live attenuated vaccines use hat use a weakened (or attenuated) form of the germ that causes a disease to generate an immune response.  These versions cannot cause disease in healthy people, but there is a small chance that they could infect the unborn baby. Although the chance is very small, it is preferable to get these vaccines before becoming pregnant. 

Examples of live attenuated vaccines include:

  • Rubella
  • Varicella
  • Measles

If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, it is important to let your doctor know and have a conversation about which vaccines are recommended in your situation and which should be delayed until a later date. 

Find out about national recommendations on vaccination during pregnancy here.

Because the protection that some vaccines offer can diminish over time, it is a good idea to check with your doctor about any boosters that are recommended before or during pregnancy. 

 Most countries in the EU/EEA recommend vaccination against flu and whooping cough during each pregnancy, depending on when the person was last vaccinated - as they can help protect your baby in its first weeks and months of life. 

Find out about national recommendations on vaccination during pregnancy here.

Parents who are breastfeeding their child can take any vaccines they might need as normal. There is no evidence that vaccination can interfere with breastfeeding or pose a risk to your baby if you are breastfeeding. 

Although not advised during pregnancy, even live attenuated vaccines are safe during breastfeeding as weakened viruses or bacteria cannot be transmitted through breast milk. 

Breast milk contains some antibodies that can be passed onto your baby, particularly in the first few weeks of life. This protection fades very quickly even if you continue breastfeeding your child, so it is important to get your baby vaccinated according to your country’s national childhood vaccination schedule. 

Maternal vaccination can also help to protect a newborn until they can receive vaccinations themselves.

Getting your baby vaccinated on time offers the best possible protection and means you can focus on enjoying time with a healthy new addition to your family. 

Waiting for an outbreak before vaccinating your child could put them at risk of infection unnecessarily.

Vaccination usually takes some time (up to two weeks) before it offers the best level of protection and some diseases require multiple vaccine doses for optimal protection. It can also take time for symptoms to develop following infection, meaning it can be hard to know when an outbreak has begun and to avoid people who are infected. 

To ensure peace of mind and the best start for your child, follow your national childhood vaccination schedule.