Immunisation in pregnancy

Women planning pregnancy should have their vaccination needs assessed as part of any pre-conception health check. In particular, consider vaccines for:

• hepatitis
• measles
• mumps
• rubella
• varicella
• COVID-19

It usually takes around 2 weeks after vaccination to develop protective antibodies.

This will give you time to catch up on missed vaccines and ensure you are protected against the following vaccine-preventable diseases.

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine

Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects.

Measles is a highly infectious disease and can have serious complications for pregnant people and their babies.

For best protection you should have 2 doses of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella), at least 4 weeks apart, before you become pregnant.

This vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy; therefore, it is advised that you have this vaccine at least one month before falling pregnant.

Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine

Chickenpox can be more severe in adults and if you are infected during the early stages of pregnancy or at time of delivery, it can cause birth defects or severe infection in your baby.

The chickenpox vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy, therefore it is advised if you are planning to get pregnant to have the vaccine at least one month prior to falling pregnant.

Influenza (flu) vaccine

It is recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months get vaccinated against seasonal influenza. While planning a pregnancy, it is important to stay healthy and protected from influenza.

COVID-19 vaccine

Pregnant people have a higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people with COVID-19, so it is important to get vaccinated prior to getting pregnant. There is also an increased risk of complications for the baby during pregnancy if you are infected with COVID-19, including an increased risk of:

• hospitalisation
• admission to an intensive care unit
• invasive ventilation
• stillbirth
• premature birth.

For more information read the Joint statement between RANZCOG and ATAGI about COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women (external site) and the COVID-19 vaccination decision guide for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy (external site).

This includes checking your immunisation history to see if you have missed any vaccines and getting up-to-date with your vaccinations. This ensures you are protected against common infectious diseases which can cause serious risks to you and your baby.

RSV (Abrysvo) vaccine

RSV is a common virus that can cause a range of severe respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia in babies. Getting vaccinated while you are pregnant protects your baby from when they are born and up to 6 months of age.

The maternal RSV vaccine (external site) (Abrysvo) is offered from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect infants from birth through to 6 months. Abrysvo can be safely administrated at the same time as other routine antenatal vaccines.

If you did not receive an Abrysvo vaccine during pregnancy, your baby is recommended to get immunised with Beyfortus as soon as possible after they’re born.

Find out more about RSV vaccination. Ask your immunisation provider for eligibility and availability information.

Influenza (flu) vaccine

If you received the influenza vaccine before becoming pregnant, speak with your immunisation provider as you may need to get revaccinated during pregnancy to protect your unborn child.

Babies aged under 6 months are more likely to be hospitalised with influenza than any other age group. During pregnancy, you are also at much higher risk of respiratory complications if you catch influenza than other healthy adults.

Influenza vaccination protects you and your baby for their first 6 months of life when they are at high risk of serious complications if they get influenza. The influenza vaccine is free for pregnant people and recommended at any stage of pregnancy.

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone in the same household and other people caring for your baby.

See Influenza vaccination in pregnancy (VIP) (PDF 245KB) for more information.

Learn more about the influenza vaccine for children.

Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine

Young babies are the most vulnerable; if they catch whooping cough they are at risk of serious complications and it may even be life-threatening. Around 80 per cent of babies with whooping cough get the infection from a parent or sibling.

You are the most important person to be vaccinated to protect yourself and your baby. The whooping cough vaccine is recommended during the third trimester of pregnancy (between 28 and 32 weeks). However, it can be given at any time during the third trimester up until 2 weeks before delivery.

The whooping cough vaccine is free for pregnant people and is delivered in one injection with diphtheria and tetanus (dTpa). Vaccination during pregnancy has been shown to be more effective in reducing the risk of whooping cough in young infants than vaccinating the pregnant person after the birth. Read more about the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy (PDF 716KB).

It's also important for people who will be in close contact with your baby under 6 months of age to be immunised against whooping cough. Close adult contacts who haven't had a whooping cough vaccine in the past 10 years should receive a booster dose and siblings should be up to date with their childhood immunisations.

Babies under 6 weeks of age cannot get the whooping cough vaccine because their immune system is not developed enough. Babies should receive their first whooping cough vaccine at 6 to 8 weeks.

See Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy (VIP) (PDF 716KB) for more information.

Hepatitis B vaccine

If you have hepatitis B (hep B) while pregnant, you can pass it to your baby during childbirth.

When you are pregnant, your doctor will offer you a simple blood test at your first visit to confirm whether you are protected against hepatitis B, so appropriate steps can be taken to protect your baby from the virus after birth.

It is recommended that all newborn babies receive their first dose of a primary course of hep B vaccine in the first 7 days of birth and before leaving the hospital. See the Childhood Immunisations page for more information.

Co-administration

It is safe to get the influenza, whooping cough and RSV vaccines at the same time from weeks 28 of your pregnancy. You can also get them at separate times.

Influenza, RSV, and pertussis vaccines can be administered during pregnancy for free but check with your immunisation provider as there may be a consultation fee.

Childhood immunisations

During the first few years of your child’s life, they will need a number of immunisations to offer protection against the most serious childhood infections.

Following recommended birth immunisations (hepatitis B vaccine within 7 days of birth, and RSV immunisation if your baby is eligible), your child’s next immunisations are due at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

The WA childhood immunisation schedule is carefully planned to protect babies and children when they need it most.