Before Pregnancy

Protecting yourself and your baby starts before pregnancy.

At least one month before pregnancy, get vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and chickenpox. Ask your doctor if your vaccines are up to date.

pregnant african american woman in front of a blue child painting depicting several children dancing

During Pregnancy

Getting vaccinated while pregnant protects you and your baby. It also protects your baby for a few months after they are born.

The CDC recommends these vaccines during pregnancy:

Flu Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccine
RSV Vaccine
Tdap Vaccine

Flu Vaccine

The flu vaccine protects you and your baby by stopping pregnancy issues caused by the flu. Getting the vaccine while pregnant also protects your baby for a few months after birth. Your baby can receive the flu vaccine at 6 months old.

Trimester: Any Trimester

You can be vaccinated against the flu during any trimester. If you are pregnant during flu season – be sure to talk to your doctor about the flu vaccine!

COVID-19 Vaccine

You are more likely to have pregnancy complications if you get sick from COVID-19 during pregnancy. Get up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine to protect yourself and your baby. It is safe to receive your COVID-19 vaccine during any trimester.

Trimester: Any Trimester

Tdap Vaccine

The Tdap vaccine protects you and your baby from tetanus, diphtheria, and whopping cough. These infections can be serious and deadly for your baby.

Protect yourself and your baby by getting the Tdap vaccine during the early weeks of your third trimester (weeks 27 – 36).

If you don’t get the tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you can also get the tdap vaccine immediately after birth. Especially if you are breastfeeding. This protects your baby while they are still too young to receive the vaccine themselves. Your baby can receive the tdap vaccine at 2 months old.

Trimester: Third Trimester (Weeks 27 – 36)

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

You can protect your baby from RSV in two ways:

During RSV season (September to January), you can receive the RSV vaccine between weeks 32 - 36. This protects your baby before they are born.
Your baby can be vaccinated during their first RSV season as long as they are younger than 8 months old.

Trimester: Thirds Trimester during RSV season (Weeks 32 – 36)

There’s a lot to keep track of during pregnancy. Remember to seek support from your community. Doulas and midwives can also provide support. Check out our community resource booklet for doulas near you!

For more information: CDC on Pregnancy & Vaccines