Protecting Two Lives: Why Vaccines for Pregnant Women are Important

Like most mothers, when I was expecting each of my three children, I asked myself, "What can I do to keep my baby and myself healthy?" Some of the things expectant women do include taking prenatal vitamins, eating more vegetables, cutting out caffeine and more.

But have you considered which vaccines you may need? 

Vaccines are incredibly important during pregnancy. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your baby is through vaccination. Vaccinating during pregnancy is an important intervention to prevent illness in mothers and potentially prevent or lessen the severity of illness in infants during their first weeks to months of life. Maternal vaccination provides critical protection during a time when women are at increased risk for complications from diseases including influenza, COVID-19 and more. Vaccination also allows pregnant women to provide immunity against disease for their baby. This protection can last for the first few months of life until the baby is able to be vaccinated themselves.

So which vaccines are recommended for pregnant women and why?

Tdap

Pregnant women are recommended to receive a dose of Tdap vaccine during the 27^th to 36^th week of each pregnancy. Tdap is the booster vaccine for pertussis, or whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial infection. Newborns and infants are at the greatest risk of having severe, potentially life-threatening complications from the infection. Sadly, most deaths from pertussis are in infants who are too young to be vaccinated. However, when Tdap is given during pregnancy, antibodies pass from the pregnant mother to the baby, providing critical short-term protection until the infant is old enough to be vaccinated themselves. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy also reduces the risk of pregnant women contracting pertussis themselves and exposing newborns to the infection.

RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is recommended between 32 through 36 weeks of pregnancy and is essential in preventing serious RSV illness in infants. RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis in infants. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the U.S. — two to three of every 100 infected children will need hospitalization because of difficulty breathing or feeding. Maternal vaccination allows life-saving antibody protection to pass from the pregnant woman to the baby, lasting for their first RSV season, during which they are most vulnerable to severe illness from the disease. The adult Pfizer RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) is generally available for pregnant women from September through January in most of the U.S.

Influenza

Influenza (flu) vaccines are recommended every fall or winter and can be administered at any time during pregnancy. Pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized for the flu than non-pregnant women and are at increased risk of developing serious complications from the flu, including pneumonia, preterm labor, preterm birth, low birth weight and pregnancy loss. Getting a flu vaccine during pregnancy offers important protection for both pregnant women and their babies as antibodies are passed from the pregnant mother to the baby during pregnancy; vaccination can protect babies from the flu for up to six months after birth. This is especially important as babies are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu and cannot receive flu vaccine until they are 6 months of age.

COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe, effective and offers meaningful protection to both the pregnant woman and the baby. Pregnant women are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death, as well as complications such as preterm birth or pregnancy loss. Similar to other maternal vaccines, pregnant women who receive a COVID-19 vaccine can pass protective antibodies to their babies, providing critical protection for infants when they are too young to be vaccinated themselves but remain at risk of severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. It’s safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine at any time during pregnancy.

Summary

In short, vaccines offer tremendous protection against devastating infectious diseases for both pregnant women and their babies. By vaccinating pregnant women, not only are infants given life-saving protection until they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves, but women are protected during a time when they are more vulnerable to complications from these serious illnesses. Choosing to vaccinate both ourselves and our children is one of the most meaningful ways we can keep our infants and children healthy.

References:

Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Acute Respiratory Infections During Pregnancy | The Journal of Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic

Protecting infants and children from COVID-19-associated hospitalization | NCIRD | CDC

Incidence and Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With COVID-19 | Hospital Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/pregnancy.html 

https://www.immunize.org/wp-content/uploads/catg.d/p4040.pdf