An incredible amount of research has been done to ensure that pregnancy vaccination is safe and effective.

This research has been conducted by governments, universities, pharmaceutical companies and independent research organisations.

Huge observational studies, clinical trials and systematic reviews from a range of countries around the world all confirm that pregnancy vaccination is safe, effective and important.

Pregnancy vaccines have also been approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is the Australian government body that regulates medical products.  The TGA considers the safety, quality and efficacy of every ingredient in a vaccine before a vaccine is registered for use in Australia.

The safety of pregnancy vaccines are actively monitored by AusVaxSafety, Australia’s active vaccine safety monitoring system, with no safety concerns identified.

Did You Know?

• The whooping cough vaccine has been given to pregnant women in Australia for nearly ten years, and there have been no serious safety concerns.

• The flu vaccine is given to millions of pregnant women around the world each year, and it has been shown to be safe and effective.

• The COVID-19 vaccine has also been shown to be safe and effective for pregnant women.

If you have any concerns about the safety of pregnancy vaccines, please talk to your GP, midwife or obstetrician. They can help you to understand the risks and benefits of vaccination and make the best decision for you and your baby.

When a pregnant woman is vaccinated, she passes antibodies to her baby through the placenta. This helps to protect the baby from infection for the first few months of their life, until they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves.

For example, the whooping cough pregnancy vaccine is very effective at protecting babies from whooping cough. In a recent Australian study of over 250 000 pregnant women who were vaccinated against whooping cough, their babies were 70% less likely to get whooping cough in the first few months of life compared to the babies of mothers who didn’t have the vaccine in pregnancy.

If contracted during pregnancy, whooping cough can lead to insomnia, incontinence, broken ribs and a range of other painful complications.  By vaccinating for whooping cough during pregnancy, Mum receives important protection too – it’s a two-for-one deal!

The flu vaccine in pregnancy is also effective at protecting both mothers and babies from flu.  Research shows the risk of stillbirth is reduced by 51% in pregnant people who are immunised against influenza, and that babies were less likely to be hospitalised with influenza in their first year of life if Mum had a flu vaccine during pregnancy. 

Pregnant people who contract influenza are at a higher risk of hospitalisation and death than non-pregnant people, and are at increased risk of serious problems such as premature labour and birth.  Fortunately, influenza vaccination during pregnancy reduces these risks for both Mum and baby.

Getting a COVID vaccine during pregnancy helps protect the mother from serious illness, hospitalisation, and death from COVID-19, and also helps protect the baby from infection in the first few months of life.

Pregnancy vaccination is a win-win for both mum and baby, providing essential protection against serious diseases.

Pregnancy vaccination has been practiced in Australia for over 20 years. It is a routine and recommended part of prenatal care, and something that most Australian women opt to have.

Pregnancy vaccination is not a “new” concept – as early as 1879, it was recognised that infants born to women who had received the smallpox vaccine during pregnancy were immune to the virus in early life.

Tetanus pregnancy vaccination programs began around fifty years ago, helping to protect newborns in developing countries from deadly neonatal tetanus infections.

The whooping cough vaccine was first given to pregnant women in Australia in 2014. The flu vaccine has been given to pregnant women in Australia for even longer.

Pregnancy vaccines are free for all pregnant women in Australia as part of our routine National Immunisation Program. They are recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which is the Australian government body that advises on immunisation policy.

Pregnancy vaccines are recommended because they are safe and effective, and they provide important protection for both pregnant mothers and their babies.

The whooping cough vaccine is free and recommended during weeks 20 - 32 of each pregnancy, delivered in a combined injection that also provides protection against diphtheria and tetanus. 

The influenza vaccine can be given at any time during pregnancy, preferably before the onset of the influenza season.

Pregnant mums can get a COVID booster at any time during pregnancy, but it is recommended to wait at least 6 months after their last COVID vaccine or infection, whichever is more recent.

Pregnancy vaccines are safe to be administered at the same time, and are available at many GP clinics, immunisation clinics, pharmacies and antenatal hospitals.  Speak with your antenatal care provider to find out your most convenient location.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to some infectious diseases, such as influenza and whooping cough. This is because their immune systems are weakened during pregnancy.

There are a number of reasons why pregnant women are more susceptible to infectious diseases. One reason is that the hormones that are produced during pregnancy can suppress the immune system. Another reason is that pregnant women have a higher volume of blood, which can make it more difficult for their immune system to fight off infection.

Because of this, pregnant women are more likely to experience severe illness and complications from influenza than non-pregnant women. Additionally, changes in their heart and lung function during pregnancy make them more susceptible to respiratory problems.

According to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, pregnant women who contract influenza are at a 51% higher risk of stillbirth and a 31% higher risk of premature delivery. They are also at an increased risk of hospitalisation and death.

COVID in pregnancy can increase the risk of hospitalisation, premature birth, stillbirth, and other serious complications for both mother and baby.  In fact, pregnant women in Australia are 2.7 times more likely to be hospitalised with COVID than non-pregnant women of reproductive age, due to changes to their immune system and respiratory system during pregnancy.

Pregnancy vaccination is the best way to protect pregnant women from infectious diseases and their serious complications, including hospitalisation.

Newborn babies are vulnerable to infectious diseases, because their immune systems are not yet fully developed.

Whooping cough in newborn babies is extremely dangerous. It can cause severe coughing fits that make it difficult for the baby to breathe. Whooping cough can also lead to pneumonia, seizures, and brain damage. Newborn babies are too young to be vaccinated against whooping cough, so they rely on their mother's antibodies for protection until old enough  for their own vaccines.

Influenza in newborn babies can be very serious, even life-threatening. It can cause difficulty breathing, pneumonia, and dehydration. Newborn babies are especially vulnerable to influenza because they have not yet had a chance to develop antibodies against the virus, unless their mother was vaccinated in pregnancy.

COVID in newborn babies can also be serious, although it is generally less so than influenza. However, COVID-19 can still cause breathing problems, pneumonia, and other serious complications in newborn babies. Newborn babies are at increased risk of COVID-19 if their mother is infected with the virus during pregnancy or childbirth.

Pregnancy vaccination has led to a significant decrease in the hospitalisations and deaths of Australian infants from diseases like whooping cough and influenza.  In fact, Australia now reports some of the highest pregnancy vaccination rates in the world – something we can all be very proud of!

Globally, these diseases still kill a huge number of children.  According to the World Health organisation (WHO) there are an estimated 160 700 deaths from whooping cough in children under 5 each year, and up to 100 000 deaths from influenza in children under 5 each year. 

Many of these deaths occur in low- and middle- income countries, many of which could be prevented with access to pregnancy vaccination.

We can all play a role in protecting infants from whooping cough, influenza, and other vaccine-preventable diseases by talking to our pregnant friends and family members about the importance of pregnancy vaccination.

It is important for all adults to be up to date on their vaccines, but this is especially important for people who are around babies.

Some vaccines, such as the whooping cough vaccine, are particularly important for adults to get if they are around babies. This is because adults can pass the infection on to babies, even if they do not get sick themselves.

Adults around babies should get a whooping cough vaccine at least every 10 years and a flu vaccine every year.

It takes about 2 weeks for the whooping cough vaccine to be fully effective, and about 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to be fully effective.  This means that adults should get vaccinated at least 2 weeks before being around a baby, to give their immune system time to build up protection.

Staying  up-to-date on your own vaccines is a great way to help protect babies and vulnerable people from serious infections.  You can check if your vaccines are up to date by talking with your GP, pharmacist or accessing your Immunisation History Statement via the Express Plus Medicare app.

Whooping cough can be a serious illness for babies, especially those under 6 months old. In fact, about half of babies under 6 months of age who contract whooping cough require hospitalisation.

Young babies with whooping cough often experience uncontrollable coughing fits that can last for several minutes. These coughing fits can make it difficult for babies to breathe and can cause them to turn blue. Whooping cough can also cause babies to vomit and to have difficulty feeding.

Other complications of whooping cough in young babies include pneumonia, apnea (pauses in breathing that last for more than 20 seconds), and seizures. Whooping cough can also damage the brain, leading to long-term problems such as learning disabilities and developmental delays.  In some cases, whooping cough will lead to death.

Fortunately, the whooping cough vaccine is very effective at protecting babies from whooping cough. . In a recent Australian study of over 250 000 pregnant women who were vaccinated against whooping cough, their babies were 70% less likely to get whooping cough in the first few months of life compared to the babies of mothers who didn’t have the vaccine in pregnancy.

The whooping cough vaccine is safe, effective and free for pregnant women. It is given as a single injection during pregnancy, usually between 20 and 32 weeks.

If you are pregnant, please talk to your GP, obstetrician, midwife or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against whooping cough. It is the best way to protect your baby from this serious illness.

Influenza (flu) can be a serious illness for pregnant women and their babies. It can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.

Babies cannot be vaccinated for influenza themselves until they are six months old, so a pregnancy vaccine helps provide them some protection  during those first few vulnerable months.  A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that babies whose mothers received the flu vaccine during pregnancy were 72% less likely to be hospitalised with influenza.

The flu vaccine is safe, effective and free for pregnant women. It is given as a single injection during pregnancy, usually during the “flu season”.

If you are pregnant, please talk to your GP, obstetrician, midwife or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against flu. It is the best way to protect yourself and your baby from this serious illness.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to get seriously ill than non-pregnant women of the same age with COVID-19. This means they are more likely to need to be admitted to hospital, or even to an intensive care unit (ICU), and to need help breathing (invasive ventilation).

COVID-19 during pregnancy can also cause complications for the baby, such as stillbirth and premature birth.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and free for pregnant women. A United States study of more than 35,000 pregnant women showed no difference in side effects between those who were pregnant and those who were not. Women who were pregnant did not show any unique side effects.  A recent Canadian study showed that infants born to a mother who had a COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy had a lower risk of severe health problems after birth, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission, and death.

If you are pregnant, please talk to your GP, obstetrician, midwife or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. It is the best way to protect yourself and your baby from this serious illness.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious illness in babies – in fact, it’s the number one reason why children under 5 are hospitalised in Australia. RSV immunisations to protect infants will be potentially available in the coming months.  Please check with your antenatal healthcare provider, and head to our Unite Against RSV page for more.  In the meantime, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your baby, such as avoiding sick people and washing your hands often.

Here are some other tips to help protect yourself from RSV and other infections during pregnancy:

• Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.

• Eat a healthy diet.

• Get enough rest.

• Manage stress.

If you have any concerns about getting sick during pregnancy, please talk to your GP, obstetrician or midwife. They can help you to take steps to protect yourself and your baby.