Vaccinations: early protection for your baby

If you are pregnant, get vaccinated against whooping cough and flu. These vaccinations not only protect yourself but also the baby, even before the child is born. The flu and whooping cough vaccination can be safely administered during pregnancy. These vaccinations protect your baby also during the first months after the birth. Some other vaccinations - such as measles, mumps and rubella - are not given during but either before or after pregnancy.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a serious, contagious respiratory disease that can be dangerous, especially for babies, and can even be lethal. Babies and young children with whooping cough have severe coughing fits, wheezing and their face may turn blue. Premature babies or newborns cough less or not at all, but they are at higher risk of respiratory arrest. Whooping cough during pregnancy can cause premature birth or a miscarriage due to severe coughing fits.

Whooping cough vaccination for pregnant women

A whooping cough vaccination is recommended between week 24 and 32 of pregnancy. This is done through a combined vaccine that also protects against diphtheria and tetanus. This will cause you to produce additional antibodies that you pass on through the umbilical cord, especially from week 30 of your pregnancy. If you are vaccinated before your pregnancy, fewer antibodies will go to your baby. We therefore recommend a whooping cough vaccination for each pregnancy, even if you have been vaccinated against whooping cough before as an adult.

The flu can be dangerous, both for a pregnant woman and her unborn child. As a pregnant woman, you are at higher risk of being admitted to hospital. There is also a higher risk of low birthweight of the baby, premature birth or even miscarriage.

If you are pregnant during the flu season, it is best to get the seasonal flu vaccination. This can be done from the second trimester of the pregnancy (14 weeks). A flu vaccination during pregnancy also protects your baby during the first few months after birth.

Flu vaccinations for pregnant women are not free of charge, but they are partially reimbursed by the mandatory health insurance.