Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Immunisation information for women who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Fast facts
- Some diseases can cause harm to both the mother and her unborn baby if a woman becomes infected during pregnancy
- Pre-conception care is important. Women should make sure they are protected against hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) and varicella (chickenpox) before becoming pregnant
- Live vaccines (e.g. measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox) cannot be given during pregnancy
- Influenza (flu), COVID-19 and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines are safe and recommended during pregnancy
- It is safe to receive most vaccines when breastfeeding
Women should discuss their vaccine history with their GP or obstetrician before becoming pregnant to make sure they have the best protection.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
COVID-19 vaccines
It is safe to receive COVID-19 vaccines when trying to conceive, when pregnant and when breastfeeding. All COVID-19 vaccines are free.
Women planning a pregnancy and women who are currently pregnant are strongly encouraged to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Women who become infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy are more likely to need hospitalisation or intensive care, when compared with non-pregnant women. This can also lead to their unborn baby being at a higher risk of premature delivery and needing specialist hospital care.
COVID-19 antibodies from mothers can be passed onto infants through the placenta or in breast milk, providing babies with some protection against disease.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Flu vaccines
It is safe and recommended for women planning pregnancy, pregnant women and breastfeeding women to receive flu vaccines. Flu vaccines should be given every year and are provided to pregnant women for free.
Pregnant women are at a greater risk of experiencing symptoms of severe flu and its complications if infected, compared with non-pregnant women of the same age. They are more than twice as likely to be hospitalised than other people.
Babies less than 6 months of age are also at a higher risk of severe symptoms and death if infected with flu. When a pregnant woman receives a flu vaccine during pregnancy some of the antibodies can be passed onto her unborn baby which will provide protection for the first few months of their life until they are old enough to receive their own flu vaccine.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Whooping cough vaccines
Whooping cough vaccines are safe, recommended and free for pregnant women to receive during every pregnancy (even those closely spaced together). The best time to receive a whooping cough vaccine when you’re pregnant is between 20 and 32 weeks.
Babies less than 6 months of age are at the greatest risk of severe symptoms of disease and death from whooping cough if they are infected. When a pregnant woman is vaccinated during pregnancy, antibodies can be passed onto her unborn baby providing them with protection until the baby is old enough to be vaccinated.
Whooping cough vaccines are also safe for women planning pregnancy and those who are breastfeeding.
It is important that family members and close friends are also up to date with their vaccines.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and immunisation
Everything you need to know
FAQs
In order to support the unborn baby, a pregnant woman’s body goes through lots of changes, including changes to the immune system. This can leave a pregnant woman more vulnerable to diseases as well as have a decreased ability to fight infections, should they occur.
Some vaccines are safe and recommended for women to receive during pregnancy. Flu and whooping cough vaccines should be given to pregnant women during pregnancy to protect the mother and her unborn baby. Pregnant women should receive COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy if they are due, to protect both the mother and her unborn baby.
Live vaccines (e.g. measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox vaccines) should not be given during pregnancy. These vaccines use a weakened version of the live virus to trigger an immune response and there is a theoretical risk that this could cause harm to the unborn baby. Vaccination with these vaccines should occur at least 28 days before falling pregnant or after the baby is born.
We recommend you discuss this with your doctor or seek advice from an immunisation specialist if this happens. The risks to your unborn baby are theoretical and you do not need to consider terminating your pregnancy. You, your local doctor or vaccine provider are encouraged to report this to your local vaccine safety service for follow up. In Victoria this is SAEFVIC.
Yes, pregnant women are strongly encouraged to receive the influenza vaccine. It can be administered during any stage of pregnancy. Immunisation not only protects the mother against disease but provides protection for the baby during the first few months of life when they are most vulnerable.
Yes. If you are pregnant and received the flu vaccine last year during in early pregnancy you should still receive this year’s flu vaccine to ensure protection against the current circulating strains. It is safe to receive two flu vaccines during the one pregnancy.
Pregnant women can receive influenza vaccine during any stage of pregnancy. Timing is often dependent on seasonality and availability of the vaccine.
In general, it is safe for breastfeeding women to receive vaccines (including COVID-19 vaccines). In some instances, a mother’s antibodies can be passed onto babies through breastmilk, providing protection to the infant in the first few months of life.
It is important to be aware that breastfeeding will not be impacted by immunisation and women can continue to breastfeed as normal following vaccination.
Yes breastfeeding women can safely receive measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines. The MMR vaccine is a live-attenuated vaccine and protects against measles, mumps and rubella. It contains a weakened version of the live viruses and therefore should not be given during pregnancy however can be given once the baby has been born.
