Important vaccinations WHEN planning a pregnancy
Why do we check rubella immunity and vaccinate before pregnancy?
Why do we check rubella immunity and vaccinate before pregnancy?
Rubella is a virus, alternatively known as German Measles.
While relatively mild in adults, when a mother is infected by rubella during pregnancy, this can have devastating effects for her baby.
Congenital rubella syndrome can feature:
Heart (cardiac) malformations
Eye problems including cataracts, glaucoma, and chorioretinitis
Deafness
Neurological problems of brain development
Intrauterine growth restriction
A high perinatal mortality rate (Risk of a baby dying around the time of birth)
Vaccination against rubella can achieve immunity for most women, conveying protection to their babies. However, as the rubella vaccine is a live attenuated virus, it can not be administered during a pregnancy.
Why do we check chicken pox immunity and vaccinate before pregnancy?
Chicken pox is caused by a virus (varicella zoster or VZV) and is very dangerous for a mother to contract for the first time while pregnant. VZV congenital infection causes serious deformities in infants.
Problems include:
Skin scarring
Limb malformations
Eye abnormalities
Brain and other neurological malformations
We now have an effective vaccine against Varicella but it is a live attenuated virus vaccine, meaning it cannot be used during pregnancy. Some women cannot achieve immunity to VZV even after vaccination.
If you have not been effectively vaccinated and also have no natural immunity to VZV, The Australian Red Cross Blood Service can provide restricted amounts of high-titre ZIG (Zoster Immune Globulin) to offer some protection.
ZIG prevents varicella in people at high risk who report a significant exposure to varicella or herpes zoster (shingles, chicken pox reactivation) and is most effective when administered within 96 hours of the exposure.
Some Vaccines you should have during pregnancy:
Pregnant women are at far greater risk of becoming seriously unwell from a Covid-19 or Influenza infection compared to other adults.
Vaccinations for Covid-19 and Influenza are proven to be safe and are recommended during pregnancy.
Vaccines for the whole family
When planning to bring a baby home, it is wise to ensure your extended family (basically anyone who will cuddle your baby) has had a whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine booster.
Whooping cough can be life threatening for young babies, who cannot themselves be fully protected by vaccination in the first months of life.
Written by Dr Raelia Lew
RANZCOG Board Certified CREI Fertility specialist, Gynaecologist and the Director of Women’s Health Melbourne.
Co-host of the Knocked Up Podcast, Co-founder of Lovers intimate wellness solutions. Raelia has a PhD in Preconception Health Promotion and Genetic Screening. Raelia is a leading Australian expert in IVF and egg freezing, pioneering a bespoke model of care.