Vaccinations in pregnancy

During pregnancy, your immune system (the body's natural defence) changes to protect the pregnancy. This can mean you may be less able to fight off infections. That’s why some vaccinations are recommended during pregnancy to keep you and your baby safe.

The flu vaccination is recommended because pregnant people may be more likely to get seriously ill and need to go to hospital. Having the flu vaccine means you're less likely to get flu, or if you do catch flu, it is less likely to be severe. It's safe to have the flu vaccination during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date.

The whooping cough vaccination is recommended in every pregnancy to keep you and your baby safe, as it provides very high levels of protection against serious whooping cough disease until your baby can have their own vaccination at 8 weeks of age. You will need to have the whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy to boost the antibody you pass on to you baby. Vaccination is recommended between 16-32 weeks of pregnancy – it is usually given around the time of the 20-week scan. You should have the vaccine even if you have had it during a previous pregnancy.

The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a virus that spreads very easily causing coughs, sneezes and runny noses. For most people, it might make them feel unwell but for some people, such as older persons and very young babies, it can make them very poorly and it is a major cause of hospital admission for infants. Vaccination is recommended in every pregnancy because the protection is passed to the baby before they are even born, meaning they are less likely to get severe RSV for the first 6 months of their life. You should have the RSV vaccination when you are around 28 weeks pregnant but can have it any time until your due date.

If you're pregnant it's recommended you get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect you and your baby, as you can get seriously ill from COVID-19 when you're pregnant. If you get COVID-19 late in your pregnancy, your baby could also be at risk. It's safe to have the vaccine during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date.