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HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury

Vaccinations in pregnancy

Before your pēpi (baby) is born there are many things to think about and decisions to make. Your midwife or LMC and GP are there to support you and to help make it easier.

The information on this page can help you make informed decisions about protecting your pēpi during pregnancy.

Vaccinations during pregnancy

pregnant-womanIt's very important to protect yourself and your pēpi while you're pregnant and until they're 6 months old.

Research shows the recommended vaccinations that pregnant mothers have are safe and can help to protect your pēpi. We recommend that pregnant women are vaccinated against the flu, COVID-19 and pertussis (whooping cough) during their pregnancy. The pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination also immunises against tetanus and diphtheria. You can get both vaccinations free at your general practice. Just call them to book a time.

Whooping cough

Having a whooping cough vaccination gives your pēpi the best possible protection until they're fully vaccinated against this disease at 5 months. It's available free of charge from when you're 13 weeks pregnant until you give birth.

For added protection, it's best that all others who will have close contact with your pēpi are also vaccinated against whooping cough so they cannot pass it to your pēpi. They may have to pay for their vaccination.

The vaccination is also free of charge to parents or primary caregivers of pēpi admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit or specialist care baby unit for more than three days.

Flu

The flu vaccine is free to pregnant women during the vaccination season of 1 April to 31 December each year. Pregnant women are often more ill than other people if they get the flu and are likely to have worse complications. Having this vaccine also means there is less chance you'll pass the flu on to your pēpi baby before they can be vaccinated at 6 months old.

It's best that family members and close contacts are also vaccinated against the flu to protect both you and your pēpi.

COVID-19

Pregnant people can get really sick from COVID-19.

Being vaccinated against COVID-19 means you are far less likely to get seriously ill. It also protects your pēpi as there is evidence that pēpi can get antibodies through the placenta that help protect them from COVID-19.

As well as your first 2 COVID-19 vaccinations, pregnant people over 16 years old can have booster vaccinations.

To get a booster it is recommended that you wait at least 6 months from your last COVID-19 vaccination or infection.

You can book your COVID-19 vaccination either on its own or at the same time as a flu vaccination via Book a vaccine.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

On the next page: Whooping cough vaccine for pregnant women

Written by the Canterbury Immunisation Provider Group. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2021.

See also:

Helping with fear of vaccination

Page reference: 232386

Review key: HIPRC-41255