During pregnancy, you often think about baby names, nursery colors and prenatal vitamins, but you should also think about vaccines. Vaccines during pregnancy not only protect you against diseases, but you also pass some protection to your baby that will last through the first few months of life. Doctors and midwives routinely recommend two vaccines during pregnancy, the whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) and the flu shot.
To celebrate the importance of immunizations for a healthy start and throughout our lives—and to make sure everyone is protected with all the vaccines they need—Schuyler County Public Health is joining with partners nationwide in recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM).
“Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect a pregnant woman from the flu and prevent serious flu-related illness. And when you get a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you’ll pass antibodies to your baby, which will help protect your baby during those first months of life,” said Schuyler County Public Health Director Marcia Kasprzyk. “Babies are most vulnerable to the devastating complications associated with whooping cough and flu in their first months. I encourage pregnant women to talk to an ob-gyn or midwife about these important vaccines.”
You can find more about the vaccines recommended during pregnancy at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/ or by talking to a health care professional or by calling Schuyler County Public Health at 607-535-8140.