During each of your pregnancies (not just the first one), getting the flu and
whooping cough vaccines will safeguard you and your growing child.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is extremely contagious and easily pre-
ventable with a Tdap vaccine during the third trimester. The most com-
monly affected people are less than 3 months old, according to research
published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, but infants do not
receive their first vaccine against the disease until they are 2 months.
"This situation leaves a window of significant vulnerability for newborns,
many of whom appear to contract serious pertussis infections from family
members and caregivers, including the mother," the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists says.
Additionally, the flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant
women, compared to other women, according to the CDC. Pregnant women who get the flu can go into
premature labor and have babies with birth defects. A flu shot is a simple solution that has not been
shown to cause any harm to pregnant women or their babies. "The flu shot given during pregnancy has
been shown to protect both the mother and her baby for several months after birth from flu," the CDC
says. In addition to these two vaccines, you may need vaccination against other diseases, including
hepatitis B and anything you may contract while traveling.
During Pregnancy
