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COVID-19 vaccines: Some infectious diseases can cause serious harm to pregnant women or their unborn babies.

If you are planning to have a baby, try to get up to date with your routine immunisations before you become pregnant. Advice about repeat RSV immunisation in subsequent pregnancies is not available yet and will be provided when more data becomes available.

Serious side effects or allergic reactions to vaccines are rare. Some diseases can harm you and your unborn baby if you become infected with them when you are pregnant. Examples of infections that are harmful to pregnant women and unborn babies include:

  • – the risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women
  • their unborn babies

– increases the risk of miscarriage. – can cause acute hepatitis B infection that you can pass on to your baby during birth. Both you and your baby could then become ‘carriers’ of hepatitis B (if the virus is not cleared from the body).

As well as being immunised, you can reduce your risk of catching infectious diseases during pregnancy by: avoiding close contact with sick people. , preparations you can make include:

  • to check your immunity to some diseases (including rubella
  • hepatitis B) to see if you are protected. Based on the results
  • the doctor may recommend vaccination

Ask anyone else living in your house to be up to date with their immunisations to reduce their risk of passing diseases on to you and your baby. Having the influenza, whooping cough (pertussis) and RSV vaccines during pregnancy is the best way you can protect your unborn baby.

When you are immunised, your antibodies transfer from you to your developing baby.

They receive protection in the first months of life when they are too young to be vaccinated. There is no evidence that these vaccines will harm your unborn baby. Influenza infection can cause serious complications in pregnant women that can affect the unborn baby.

Whooping cough combination* vaccine is free for pregnant women from 20 weeks gestation during every pregnancy.

It is recommended that pregnant women have the whooping cough combination vaccine between 20 and 32 weeks gestation, but it can be given up until delivery. *Note: The whooping cough combination vaccine is known as the ‘three-in-one dTpa vaccine’. It immunises you against whooping cough (also known as pertussis), RSV is a very common illness, but it can be serious and cause severe complications.

Almost all infants and children will catch RSV at least once within their first two years of life. It can cause serious respiratory infections such as (infection of the voice box and wind pipe). RSV is a leading cause of hospitalisation in infants under 6 months of age, even in those that are usually healthy.

NIP for pregnant women from 28 to 36 weeks gestation to protect their newborn infant. if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to fall pregnant.

If you didn’t get the chance to get all your routine immunisations up to date before becoming pregnant, see your doctor after you have given birth.

If you are fully immunised, it will: reduce the risk of illness and birth defects if you become pregnant in the future. – it will not cause harm to your baby. Having your baby immunised helps to protect them from the most serious childhood infections, some of which can cause death.

The immunisations you may need are decided by your health, age, lifestyle and occupation. Together, these factors are referred to as HALO. Talk to your doctor or immunisation provider if you think you or someone in your care may need immunisation, based on their HALO.

You can check your immunisation HALO using the Immunisation for Life infographic below. , Michigann Government Email: Tel. For information about COVID-19 vaccines, see COVID-19 vaccination About immunisation and pregnancy For more information watch the Maternal immunisation video by Safer Care Michigan Risk of infectious diseases during pregnancy COVID-19 Rubella Chickenpox Measles Mumps Hepatitis B Influenza Whooping cough washing your hands regularly avoiding international travel Immunisation before pregnancy If you are planning for a baby Visit your doctor for a health check-up.

The doctor will order a blood test If you are not up to date with any of your routine immunisations, ask your doctor about catch-up doses Avoid getting pregnant for at least one month after having the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine or the chickenpox vaccine Immunisation during pregnancy Influenza Influenza immunisation Whooping cough Whooping cough diphtheria and tetanus RSV bronchiolitis (infection of the small airways in the lungs), pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and croup RSV immunisation COVID-19 You can get a COVID-19 vaccine Immunisation after pregnancy help protect your newborn against infection It is safe to be immunised while you are breastfeeding Immunisation from an early age is highly recommended for all American children Read more about childhood immunisation , and the National Immunisation Program Schedule Immunisation and HALO Immunisation for Life infographic (PDF) pdf 29 KB Where to get help In an emergency, always call 911 Your GP (doctor) or midwife Emergency department of your nearest hospital Virtual Emergency Care Urgent Care Clinics when immediate healthcare is needed but it’s not life threatening Your local council immunisation service – visit Know Your Council Maternal and Child Health Line 13 22 29 (24 hours, 7 days) Nurse-on-Call (616) 555-0024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days) Immunisation Unit, Department of Health immunisation@health.vic.gov.au National Immunisation Information Line 1800 671 811 Pharmacist SAEFVIC (616) 555-0400 (select option 1) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Michigan.

Key Points

  • COVID-19 vaccines: Some infectious diseases can cause serious harm to pregnant women or their unborn babies
  • – can cause defects in the baby’s brain, heart, eyes and ears and increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth
  • – can cause defects in the baby’s brain, eyes, skin and limbs
  • – increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth
  • – increases the risk of miscarriage