Vaccination Guide for Pregnancy

Before Pregnancy

If you’re planning to become pregnant, learn how to ensure your vaccines are up to date.

During Pregnancy

Find out which vaccines are recommended during pregnancy.

After Pregnancy

Learn how to stay up to date on your vaccines once you’ve had your baby.

Before Pregnancy

  • Keep an accurate vaccination record.

    Sharing your vaccination history with your healthcare provider will help determine which vaccines you need before and during pregnancy. Your healthcare professional may be able to help you locate your records.

  • Update your vaccines before pregnancy.

    Once you have your vaccination records, you and your healthcare professional can determine which vaccines you need. Getting certain vaccinations before pregnancy, like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and varicella vaccine, helps protect you and your child from serious illness.

    If you don’t have vaccination records, the CDC recommends that you work with your health professional to figure out the best way to get caught up.

  • Avoid pregnancy for 1 month after the MMR and varicella vaccines.

    Out of an abundance of caution, it’s best to avoid becoming pregnant, if possible, until 1 month after receiving the MMR and varicella vaccines and your immunity is confirmed by a blood test.

During Pregnancy

  • Flu Vaccine

    Pregnant people are at higher risk of getting very sick from the flu, but the flu vaccine helps protects both you and your baby from serious illness due to the flu.

    Click here to learn more

  • COVID-19 Vaccine

    The COVID-19 vaccine lowers the risk of severe COVID-19 illness and pregnancy complications associated with COVID-19 infection, like stillbirth and preterm birth.

    Click here to learn more

  • RSV Vaccine

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations. There are two options to prevent severe RSV in babies: a vaccine for you or an immunization for your baby.

    Click here to learn more

  • Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine

    The Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) vaccine helps protects against pertussis, also called whooping cough, which can be especially dangerous for newborn babies.

    Click here to learn more

  • Other Routine Vaccines

    Other vaccines may be recommended based on your health history or other factors, but some vaccines should be avoided during pregnancy.

    Click here to learn more

Plan Your Vaccines

Use this timeline to plan when to get these recommended vaccinations during pregnancy.

Other Routine Vaccinations

You may need additional routine vaccinations during pregnancy depending on your individual situation and health history. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines-pregnancy/hcp/vaccination-guidelines. 

Recommended
Under Some Circumstances

  • Hepatitis A 
    If you haven’t been vaccinated previously and are at risk of infection or a severe outcome from infection. 

  • Hepatitis B
    If not already vaccinated. 

  • Meningococcal (MenACWY)

  • Meningococcal (B)

  • Mpox
    Decision should be based on risk vs benefit. 

  • Polio
    Pregnancy is a precaution; decision should be based on risk vs benefit.

  • Tetanus (Td)
    Should be used if otherwise indicated (Tdap preferred).

Not Recommended Under Any Circumstances

  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
    Delay until after pregnancy.

  • Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV)
    The LAIV nasal spray is not recommended during pregnancy. Pregnant people should receive the inactivated flu vaccine.

  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) Delay until after pregnancy OR wait 1 month after vaccination to become pregnant.

  • Varicella (chickenpox)
    Delay until after pregnancy.

No Recommendation Or Not Enough information

  • Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine

  • Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

  • Recombinant zoster vaccine (shingles vaccine)
    Consider delaying until after pregnancy. 

After Pregnancy

  • If you didn’t get the recommended vaccines during pregnancy, you can get them after you have your baby.

    Postpartum vaccination will:

    ▪️ Give you some protection from severe illness.

    ▪️ Pass some antibodies to your baby if you are breastfeeding.

    Note: Postpartum vaccination will not give you immediate protection from severe illnesses right after birth because it takes about 2 weeks for your body to develop antibodies after vaccination.

  • It is safe to breastfeed when getting most vaccinations.

    The only vaccines that are not recommended for people who are breastfeeding are two non-routine vaccines: yellow fever vaccine and smallpox vaccine.


    Note: Your baby will also get their own vaccinations starting at birth.

This resource was supported by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreement CDC-RFA-DD-23-0004 Enhancing Partnerships to Address Birth Defects, Infant Disorders and Related Conditions, and the Health of Pregnant and Postpartum People. The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services nor represent an endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Last update: November 2024