Some vaccines can be administered during pregnancy without any risk to the mother or baby and ensuring protection against disease. Others are only indicated in special situations, that is, in the case of an outbreak of the disease in the city where the woman lives, for example.
Some vaccines are manufactured with the attenuated virus, that is, that has reduced function and, therefore, are not recommended during pregnancy, as they can put the life of the pregnant woman and the baby at risk. Therefore, before being vaccinated, the pregnant woman should consult the obstetrician to evaluate if she can get the vaccine without risk.
Vaccines indicated in pregnancy
Some vaccines can be taken during pregnancy without the risk of complications for the mother or baby. One of the vaccines is the flu, which is very important for pregnant women to take it, as they are considered at risk for complications of the virus. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women take the vaccine during the period when vaccination campaigns are released, which usually happen at the time of year when more cases of influenza are registered.
In addition to the flu vaccine, it is important for women to get the dTpa vaccine, which is the triple bacterial, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, or dT, which provides protection against diphtheria and tetanus. This vaccine is important because in addition to protecting the pregnant woman, the antibodies produced are passed on to the fetus, ensuring protection for the baby in the first months of life until it can be vaccinated. The amount of doses to be administered depends on the woman's vaccination history, in case she has not been vaccinated, it is recommended to administer 2 doses from the 20th week of gestation with an interval of 1 month between doses.
The hepatitis B vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women who are at risk of infection by the virus responsible for the disease, and the administration of three doses is recommended.
If the woman has not been vaccinated during pregnancy, it is important that she receive the vaccine shortly after the baby is born, to reduce the risk of infections.
Other vaccines
Some other vaccines indicated in the vaccination calendar can be administered only in special situations, that is, if a disease has been reported in the family or in the city where you live, for example, immunization is recommended to protect both mother and baby. Among these vaccines are:
- Yellow fever vaccine, which is usually contraindicated in pregnancy, however it can be administered if the risk of infection is greater than the possibility of consequences related to the vaccine; Vaccine against meningitis, which is only recommended in case of outbreaks of the disease; Vaccine pneumococcal, which is only indicated for pregnant women who are at risk; Hepatitis A and B vaccine, with doses according to the woman's age.
Due to the fact that these vaccines can only be administered in certain situations, they are not available through the Unified Health System, and women should seek a private vaccination clinic to be immunized.
Contraindicated vaccines during pregnancy
Some vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy as these vaccines are made with the attenuated infectious agent, that is, with their reduced infection capacity, so that only the immune system reacts and produces antibodies against this virus. However, due to the risk of transmission to the baby, it is recommended that these vaccines are not administered to avoid complications.
Contraindicated vaccines are:
- Triple viral, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella; HPV vaccine; Chickenpox / chickenpox vaccine; Dengue vaccine.
As these vaccines cannot be administered during pregnancy, the recommendation is that the woman always keep the vaccines up to date.
Although these vaccines are not indicated during pregnancy, it can be administered after the baby is born and during breastfeeding, as there is no risk of transmission to the baby through milk, with the exception of the dengue vaccine, which remains contraindicated. due to the fact that it is still recent and further studies related to its effects and relationship with pregnancy are needed.
