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Vaccination in Pregnancy

Checked: 23-07-2024 by Rob Adams Next Review: 23-07-2026

Overview

The NHS website gives a summary of vaccinations that should be considered in pregnancy and those that should be avoided:

Vaccinations in pregnancy - NHS (www.nhs.uk) - includes advice about flu, pertussis and covid-19 vaccination and also travel vaccination and malaria prophylaxis

Pertussis Vaccination in Pregnancy

Pertussis cases continue to rise rapidly and sadly there were 9 infant deaths between November 2023 and July 2024. The NHS is encouraging staff who come in contact with pregnant women to signpost or offer pertussis vaccination at every opportunity.

Please also see the following advice about changes introduced from 1st July 2024:

Women should normally receive their whooping cough vaccine around the time of their mid-pregnancy scan (usually 20 weeks) but can receive it from 16 weeks (and preferably before 32 weeks for optimal protection). (1)

COVID Vaccination in Pregnancy

NHS advice on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and while breast feeding:

COVID-19 vaccination: women who are pregnant or breastfeeding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The RCOG has some advice and FAQs on COVID-19 vaccination:

COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding FAQs | RCOG (2)

COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended in pregnancy. Vaccination is the best way to protect against the known risks of COVID-19 in pregnancy for both women and babies. (2)

Flu Vaccination in Pregnancy

NHS advice for patients:

The flu jab in pregnancy (3)

It's recommended that all pregnant women have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they are at. (3)

Flu vaccination programme 2023 to 2024: information for healthcare practitioners - GOV.UK

Resources

Immunisation against infectious disease - GOV.UK (The Green Book)

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.