Vaccines & pregnancy
Vaccines are helpful in preventing infections. Vaccines boost your immunity against an infection… thus keep you and your growing family safe. All vaccines are not safe during pregnancy. As a general rule vaccines made up from live viruses should not be taken in pregnancy. Vaccines made from dead viruses or toxoids are safe in pregnancy.
Vaccination history:
It is ideal to have an up to date history about vaccinations you have received till date… right from your childhood. You may be able to find out details from your parents. Even if previous history is not available, you can definitely start keeping a log of vaccinations from now!
Vaccines before getting pregnant:
Technically one should be immunised against all possible infections before planning pregnancy. It is reasonable to take vaccines at least against the common infections which can cause harm to the unborn baby. One such vaccine that is highly recommended is Rubella vaccine.
Rubella (German measles):
Rubella infection in pregnancy can cause a lot of harm to unborn babies. It may cause serious birth defects with devastating, life-long consequences, or even death before birth. It is a good idea that you have a pre-pregnancy blood test to see if you are immune to the disease. In India, children usually receive the combination vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR). Usually this leads to adequate immunity. If you are not immune to rubella you should take a vaccine. Remember …it is a live virus vaccine. If you get vaccinated for rubella, you should avoid becoming pregnant until three months after receiving the vaccine.
Vaccines which are safe during pregnancy:
Flu vaccine:
H1N1 or swine flu is increasingly becoming common in India. Pregnant women, especially in the later half of pregnancy are more likely to get severely sick if they catch up the infection. This can be avoided by taking injectable vaccine is made up from dead virus and hence safe in pregnancy.
Toxoid vaccine:
In India, it is recommended that a pregnant women should receive two doses of tetanus toxoid. (Of course there are some exceptions!).
A combination vaccine called TDaP which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis is now freely available. As recommended by CDC (The Centre of disease control, US), it is should be taken after 27 weeks of pregnancy. It protects the mother as well as the new born against tetanus, pertussis and whooping cough.
Vaccines that you may consider before or during pregnancy:
These vaccines are safe in pregnancy. However the incidence of the infection is not so high that they need to be recommended to every one…especially when pregnant. Your job or lifestyle can make you more susceptible to specific illnesses, as can certain chronic health conditions, such as diabetes. You may discuss these with your doctor.
Hepatitis B vaccine:
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, nausea, fatigue, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). In some cases, it can cause chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and death. A pregnant woman with hepatitis B can pass the infection to her baby during delivery, and without prompt treatment, the baby has a high risk of contracting serious liver diseases as an adult.
The CDC recommends that all pregnant women be screened for hepatitis B because it’s possible to have it without knowing.
It’s safe to get this shot when you’re pregnant, especially if you’re a healthcare worker or you live with someone who has the disease.
Hepatitis A vaccine:
This vaccine protects against a liver disease that spreads through contaminated food or water. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, and nausea. It isn’t usually as serious as the B version of the disease, and the illness won’t affect an unborn baby most of the time. In rare cases, hepatitis A may contribute to premature labour and infection in the new born.
The safety of this vaccine has yet to be determined, but because it’s produced from dead viruses, the risks are likely low. Especially if you’re traveling to a place where the quality of water you drink may be poor, you may consider this.
Pneumococcal vaccine :
If you have a specific chronic condition, such as diabetes or kidney disease, your doctor may recommend the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against some forms of pneumonia. Although potential harm to an unborn baby is unknown, researchers believe that the risk is low.
What after you deliver?
Did you miss any of the vaccines before or during the pregnancy? Now is the time to catch up! Breast feeding mothers can get vaccinated according to a normal adult vaccination schedule.
In addition you may consider taking HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine that helps protect against cervical cancer. The shot isn’t recommended during pregnancy because studies haven’t yet determined its safety for a developing baby.
Vaccines & side effects:
Serious reactions to vaccines are rare. However, your doctor may tell you to skip certain shots if you have an allergy to a substance they contain. Those who are allergic, for example, to baker’s yeast (used in making bread) shouldn’t get the hepatitis B vaccine; those with a severe egg allergy should avoid the flu shot; and people with a severe allergy to gelatin or to the antibiotic neomycin shouldn’t get the measles, mumps, and rubella or varicella vaccine. If you’re skipping any shots, you should discuss alternate ways to prevent illness with your doctor.