What You Should Know About Pregnancy and Vaccines

Pregnancy is an exciting time in your life. You are getting ready to introduce a new little life into this world. One thing that a lot of people have questions about during this time is pregnancy and vaccines. Here is some of the information you should know about this topic so you can get on the right track to keeping your baby safe. Why Vaccinate
Pregnancy and vaccines go hand-in-hand. You need to get the right immunizations to not only keep yourself healthy during the pregnancy, but to also keep your baby healthy in the process. These vaccines are completely safe and have been tested by the FDA to ensure they work and will not harm your baby. Unless you have an allergy to something in the vaccine, such as the eggs in the flu vaccine, it is safe to get these during pregnancy. Which vaccines should I get?
There are a few vaccines you should consider to keep yourself and the baby safe. These will include: · Hepatitis B—if you test negative for this virus, you can get the vaccine to protect both you and the baby from getting the infection during delivery. Usually this type of vaccine will be given a few times.
· Influenza—this is the first vaccine the doctor will recommend for you during pregnancy. This helps to keep away the flu and can extend protection to the baby after they are born.
· Tdap—this is usually given between 27 and 36 weeks and can protect the baby from getting whooping cough when they are born. Will the vaccines harm my baby?
There are some vaccines that your doctor will not give you during pregnancy because of the potential harm to the baby. Others need to be given early on in the pregnancy. The vaccines listed above are safe for the baby and often your doctor will recommend giving them at some point in your pregnancy. Some of the vaccines you should avoid include: · Hepatitis A
· MMR
· Varicella
· Pneumococcal
· OPV and IPV
· HPV Vaccine Your doctor will discuss which vaccines you should receive during your pregnancy to keep both you and the baby safe during this precious time. Pregnancy and vaccines is a hot button topic, but it is important to get the right protection for you and the baby to feel your best.