What the Guidance Really Says About Vaccination in Pregnancy
Antibodies cross the placenta, protecting a newborn during the weeks before their own vaccinations begin.
Key takeaways
- Recommended: flu, whooping cough, COVID-19, RSV
- Whooping cough: usually from around 16 weeks
- Most useful single change: Have the recommended vaccines when offered by midwifery or the GP.
- Commonest mistake: Live vaccines such as MMR during pregnancy.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What it is
The vaccines recommended during pregnancy to protect both parent and baby. It sits within Vaccinations. What follows are the published numbers, not the ones that get passed around.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Recommended | flu, whooping cough, COVID-19, RSV |
| Whooping cough | usually from around 16 weeks |
| Live vaccines | generally avoided in pregnancy |
| Protection | passes to the baby and lasts several weeks after birth |
What helps
The advice below comes straight from the guidance cited at the foot of this page.
- Have the recommended vaccines when offered by midwifery or the GP
- Have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy
- Ask about RSV vaccination, which is newer and often missed
What to avoid
The common mistakes, including the ones that sound sensible.
- Live vaccines such as MMR during pregnancy
- Delaying whooping cough vaccination past the recommended window
Where to go next
- Starting Out With Vaccination in Pregnancy
- A Q and A on Vaccination in Pregnancy
- Vaccination in Pregnancy — the reference entry
- Vaccine Side Effects: What Published Guidance Supports
- Vaccine Hesitancy: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
Contact your midwife or maternity unit for bleeding, severe abdominal pain, severe headache with visual disturbance, a temperature above 37.5C, or reduced fetal movements. Call 999 for difficulty breathing or collapse after any vaccination.
Where this comes from
- UK Health Security Agency — vaccination in pregnancy
- NHS — Pregnancy vaccinations
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
