Vaccinations before pregnancy
Measles, rubella, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus & Co.: There are several infectious diseases that can pose a risk to mother and/or child during pregnancy. That’s why women should protect themselves against infection beforehand by means of vaccination.
Which vaccinations should be carried out before pregnancy?
- Measles: Single dose of MMR vaccine (combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine) for women born after 1970 who have not received any or only one dose of measles vaccine in the past or for whom vaccination status is unclear.
- Varicella (chickenpox): Vaccination twice in seronegative women of childbearing age (“seronegative” means that no antibodies to the chickenpox pathogen can be detected in the blood).
- Tetanus, diphtheria, polio: Missing or incomplete vaccinations against these diseases should be made up in accordance with the general recommendations of the STIKO.
For vaccinations with live vaccines (e.g., measles, rubella, and varicella vaccines), there should be at least one month between vaccination and the start of pregnancy.
Permitted vaccinations during pregnancy
Vaccination with inactivated vaccines during pregnancy is generally safe. In general, however, women should always inform their doctor about an existing pregnancy before a vaccination. In this way, he or she can weigh possible risks of the vaccination against the expected benefits.
Corminaty by BioNTech-Pflizer against corona infection should not be vaccinated until the second trimester.
Overview: Permitted vaccinations in pregnancy
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Hepatitis vaccination (A and B) |
The STIKO explicitly recommends vaccination against influenza (flu) pertussis (whooping cough) and Covid-19 during pregnancy:
- Whooping cough vaccination: Pregnant women should always be vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis), regardless of how long ago the last vaccination was given. Pertussis vaccination is recommended at the beginning of the last trimester of pregnancy. If there is an increased risk of premature birth, vaccination against pertussis should be given as early as the second trimester.
A pregnant woman should also definitely be vaccinated against tetanus, since the pathogen can be found anywhere in the world, in any place. In addition, the mother transfers her tetanus defenses (antibodies) to the child and thus protects the newborn from infection. Most often, the tetanus vaccination is boostered in combination with the vaccination against diphtheria.
Contraindicated vaccinations in pregnancy
Some inactivated vaccines may also be administered to pregnant women only if absolutely necessary – for example, because of travel to endemic areas or close contact with infected persons (e.g., cholera vaccine).
Overview: Contraindicated vaccinations in pregnancy
- Measles vaccination
- Mumps vaccination
- Rubella vaccination
- Chickenpox vaccination
- Yellow fever vaccination
- Cholera vaccination
