Can pregnant women be vaccinated?

The question of the safety of vaccinations is relevant for many in general, and especially during pregnancy. This is no coincidence, since the future mother makes a responsible decision, which can affect both herself and the unborn child. So Mummy wonders what she will receive after vaccination - increased and stronger immunity, or undesirable health consequences.

Probably, the doctor should act as a referee here. Possessing sufficient knowledge in the field of medicine, he will be able to establish for certain the real threat of contracting an infectious disease for a particular woman and will decide on the need for vaccinations or refusal from them.

Safe vaccination

The question is often posed by the edge because some women really consider vaccines to be dangerous in their essence, and do not exclude the possibility that they can cause harm to themselves and the body of the unborn child. But, if we approach this issue in more detail, then one involuntarily has to incline to the idea that such a judgment is most likely far-fetched in nature. For the most part, they are merely theoretical assumptions, not supported by any factual arguments.

Another point is an insufficient assessment of the prospect of getting an infectious disease. You should not even doubt the need for vaccinations in the following cases:

1. If the possibility of getting any infectious disease is present with a high degree of probability (for example, if a woman works in a store or bank, where there are always a lot of people).
2. A potential infectious disease threatens the health of the fetus or the woman herself.
3. Vaccination is associated with minimal risk or it is completely absent.

It is from these positions that the question of the advisability of vaccinations during pregnancy by doctors is considered. They even strongly recommend vaccination if a pregnant woman is at potential risk. The future mother should not listen to the advice of friends and persons "competent" in all matters, but to the recommendations of doctors. A serious analysis should be made and a decision made on what is more important, the health of the unborn child or unreasonable fears about the possible consequences.

It is necessary not to fall into ambitions, but to take this procedure calmly. If you follow medical advice, then the baby inside the womb will develop normally, and nothing will threaten him. Another argument in favor of the need to reject all fears is that all vaccinations are carried out in strict accordance with established rules. They are designed to minimize all possible negative consequences.

Mankind in its lifetime is familiar with a large number of epidemics, during which just a huge number of people lost their lives. Vaccines have been developed to combat this phenomenon. They are represented by medications that contain live or attenuated (inactivated) microbes. The way in which they are introduced into the body is called vaccination, more simply vaccination. As a result of this, the body develops immunity in accordance with the type of vaccine administered.

Vaccine Administration Methods

An instruction has been developed for any drug, in accordance with which the vaccine should be introduced into the body. The drug may fall into the body in the following ways:

1. Intramuscular injection In this way, for example, a flu vaccine or DTP is administered that protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus (combination vaccine).
2. Subcutaneous administration. The vaccine is injected into the deltoid muscle or forearm. So the BCG vaccine is introduced against tuberculosis.
3. Drip through the nose (intranasal route of administration). In a similar way, the measles and rubella vaccine enters the body.
4. Through the mouth. The drug drops on the tongue. So they vaccinate against polio.

Types of vaccine

On this basis, immunobiological preparations can be divided into 4 groups:

• Live vaccines.
• Inactivated vaccines.
• Anatoxin.
• Molecular (biosynthetic) drug.

Depending on the method of preparation, the preparations are released in the following forms:

• corpuscular type - such vaccines in their composition contain a single pathogen;
• component type - they contain only antigen;
• recombinant type - they are obtained by the method of introducing antigen into the cell of another microorganism;

Also, vaccines are monovalent, designed for only one type of pathogen and polyvalent, which are designed to protect against several types of pathogen at the same time.

Key vaccine recommendations

No matter what stage of pregnancy a particular woman is at, the doctor must tell her about certain rules that must be strictly followed when vaccinating. This will help the future mother to make the right decision about the need for vaccination behavior. But no one will force a woman to do this. She may refuse vaccinations. This possibility is fixed at the legislative level.

1. During pregnancy, it is forbidden to vaccinate a woman with live vaccines. Such drugs include, for example, a tuberculosis vaccine. There is an opinion that there is a certain risk of transmission of a living, even if weakened pathogen, to the fetus. But this is only at the level of opinion. No objective evidence exists on this score. Such cases are not known in practice.
2. Vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy is not allowed. This is due to the fact that it is at this time that the nucleation and formation of all vital systems of the body occurs. No one is aware of the extent of the possible effect of the administered vaccine on this process. Can not give an answer yet to this question and medical workers. Even if such a danger exists only in theoretical terms, it is better not to take risks and be guaranteed to insure against this potential danger.
3. It happens that a woman was vaccinated with one or another drug, but she did not know what was called pregnancy or sleep, or spirit. In this case, she should be warned about the possible occurrence of the consequences of this error. But no one will offer to terminate the pregnancy. After all, we are talking only about the possible consequences, which may not occur.
4. Sometimes, in the period of 28 weeks, a woman may be offered to introduce immunoglobulin (according to epidemic indications). But she may not agree to this. A pregnant woman may refuse immunization in accordance with the law. No one will do it by force. Immunoglobulin will be administered to her only if she herself gives consent.
5. If the forecasts of epidemiologists speak in favor of an approaching epidemic, then vaccination against an approaching epidemic disease is mandatory.

If the vaccine is performed according to all the rules, then the procedure does not pose any danger. It is safe to say that there will be no consequences, both for the future mother, and for her baby. Sometimes there are random coincidences when miscarriages were observed after vaccination. This, of course, gave rise to a lot of rumors.No need to listen to this frank nonsense and follow the rumors spread. Vaccination, in principle, cannot lead to a miscarriage. All this is nothing more than an annoying coincidence. A woman is recommended to listen only to the advice of doctors. Only they, as professionals, are able to give competent advice and useful recommendations.

Vaccine list

In our country, any vaccination is carried out in accordance with the national vaccination calendar and according to epidemic indications, when there is a threat of contracting an infection with a specific woman. During pregnancy, a woman can be given the following vaccinations:

1. Rabies. Vaccination is carried out unconditionally if there is a threat of getting it. Rabies is a serious, dangerous disease, with a mortality rate of up to 100%. Vaccination is the only way to protect against it. Of course, it is carried out if there are unconditional indications, but these are already epidemiological subtleties.
2. Vaccinate against hepatitis A - not recommended in the 1st trimester. This is due to the fact that there is insufficient evidence of the degree of safety of the vaccine for the mother and the fetus.
3. Hepatitis B vaccine is not at risk.
4. It is highly desirable to vaccinate against influenza, since the complications of this disease are very dangerous for both the mother and her unborn child.
5. Yellow fever. It is not necessary to administer a vaccine due to the lack of safety data for this drug.
6. Meningitis. The introduction of the vaccine is effective with minimal risk.
7. Pneumococcus. Such vaccination is indicated only for women who are at high risk of infection.
8. ADS. It allows you to protect a woman’s body from diphtheria and tetanus and is the only drug that women must be vaccinated in the absence of previous previous vaccinations. It is held during the II trimester.
9. Typhoid, plague, cholera, encephalitis. It is not recommended to vaccinate with these drugs due to the lack of information about the degree of safety of vaccines for the unborn child.

The expectant mother should always first of all think about the health of her child. Therefore, when deciding on vaccination, it should be based not on the rumors and fantasies of all-knowing friends, but on the recommendations of doctors.

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