Vaccinations
Should I get vaccinated if I’m trying to get pregnant? 
Some vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy, so it’s best to take a look at your immunization record before getting pregnant. Are you up to date? Do you need any boosters? If you are fully immunized before pregnancy, not only are you protecting yourself from disease, but you are also reducing your risk of pregnancy complications and/or passing along infections to your developing baby. You will also transfer protection to your new baby until they are old enough to have their own vaccines.
There are two types of vaccines:
- Inactivated vaccines (such as influenza and Tdap), which contain killed bacteria or viruses that are cannot cause a disease; and
- Live-attenuated vaccines (such as varicella and measles, mumps, rubella) which contained weakened bacteria or viruses that cannot cause a disease in healthy people.
Inactivated vaccines are considered safe to use in pregnancy. Live-attenuated vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy due to the possibility of some risk to the developing baby. If possible, you should get these vaccines at least 4 weeks prior to becoming pregnant.
Which vaccines are important to consider before pregnancy?
If you are planning to become pregnant, there are some vaccines that are particularly important to consider. These include:
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
While measles, mumps, and rubella are all serious infections that can cause pregnancy complications, rubella is particularly dangerous during pregnancy. The rubella virus can be transferred to a developing baby, causing health problems in the eyes, ears, and heart known as congenital rubella syndrome.
The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent infection from the viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella. Most Canadians have received the MMR vaccine in childhood, but your health care provider may do a blood test to make sure you are protected from rubella prior to pregnancy. This vaccine is especially important to get before conception since it is live-attenuated and therefore not recommended during pregnancy.
Varicella (chickenpox)
Chickenpox is not common during pregnancy, but can cause serious symptoms and pregnancy complications. The varicella virus can be transferred to a developing baby, causing congenital varicella syndrome. This can involve health problems of the head, limbs, muscles, and bones, as well as issues with eyesight and cognitive (brain) function.
You may be immune (protected against) to the varicella virus if you had chickenpox as a child, or if you have already received the varicella vaccine. Your health care provider may do a blood test to confirm that you are protected from varicella. If you are not already immune, the varicella vaccine is recommended prior to conception since it is live-attenuated and therefore not recommended during pregnancy.
Hepatitis B
Your job, lifestyle, or health history may put you at risk of becoming infected with hepatitis B. This virus can be transmitted to a baby during delivery. Your health care provider may do a blood test to check whether you are protected from hepatitis B. If you are not already immune, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended. This vaccine is also safe for use during pregnancy.
Influenza (flu) vaccine
You can get the flu vaccine any time prior to or during pregnancy as there is no known risk to the baby. Getting the flu when you’re pregnant can be very uncomfortable, and pregnant women are at increased risk for serious complications from the flu. Basic preventive and health measures like washing your hands and avoiding contact with people who are sick are also important. If you do get the flu during pregnancy, you should be treated with an anti-viral medication like oseltamivir (Tamiflu®).
Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Recently, pertussis was added to the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine. Pertussis is a transmissible respiratory infection, which means it can be passed on from person to person. Pertussis poses the greatest risk to infants less than 4 months old. There have been outbreaks (increased risk of the disease in the area at the time) of pertussis in Canada in recent years. Regardless of vaccination history, it is recommended that all pregnant women receive the Tdap vaccine (Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Reduced Acellular Pertussis) between 21 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. You should be vaccinated with Tdap in every pregnancy. Once you are vaccinated, your body will make antibodies that provide protection to your newborn. The vaccine is safe for the mother and the developing baby.
Other vaccines
Special circumstances may require you to have additional vaccines. For example, if you are travelling to areas of the world where vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g., yellow fever, tuberculosis) are common, you may need these vaccines. You may also want to consult the government of Canada’s travel health and safety tool to find out which immunizations are recommended for the country to which you plan to travel, and discuss these with your health care provider.
It is especially important to consider getting any live-attenuated vaccines at least 4 weeks before conception if possible. Discuss your immunization status and needs with your health care provider before becoming pregnant.