Can vaccines be given to women who are preparing for and during pregnancy? I believe that this is a difficult problem that many women of childbearing age do not understand, the following is to explain the content of vaccines. The purpose of vaccination is to stimulate the immune system of the body and to stimulate a protective immune response to the corresponding pathogen to prevent the disease. Types of vaccines] Conventional vaccines are divided into inactivated vaccines and live vaccines. Vaccines that can be given to pregnant women] For pregnant women, inactivated vaccines can be given, among inactivated vaccines: Hepatitis B vaccine: both pregnancy and lactation can be given. Encephalitis B vaccine, rabies vaccine, Hundred, White and Tetra Vaccine: can be given in the middle of pregnancy. Influenza vaccine: can be given in the middle and late stages, and can be given in all stages of pregnancy if necessary. Vaccines prohibited for pregnant women] Live attenuated vaccines and live vaccines are not allowed. Vaccinations are contraindicated during pregnancy: such as rubella vaccine, measles vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, chickenpox, BCG vaccine, and mumps vaccine. Among them, rubella, measles and mumps vaccines can be given 3 months after the vaccination before pregnancy. Some of you may ask, “I’m pregnant, but I don’t want to get vaccinated if I can! If you think so, you are wrong. During pregnancy, some viral or bacterial infections can affect the development of the fetus and even threaten the baby’s life. Therefore, we generally recommend the following two vaccines. Flu vaccine] The flu vaccine mainly prevents infection with certain sub-strains of the seasonal flu virus. If you are pregnant during the high influenza season, such as between November and March, both influenza vaccination shots are recommended. Compared to the general population, pregnant women are at greater risk of getting the flu because the flu vaccine (not the flu nasal spray) currently in use is made from inactivated virus, so the vaccine itself is safe for pregnant women and can be used safely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women should receive the flu vaccine during the high flu season, regardless of their stage of pregnancy. However, it is important to note that the flu vaccine, which is inhaled via the nose, is a live vaccine and should be avoided based on the principles we just mentioned. If you are preparing for pregnancy during the high influenza season and are not pregnant, both of the influenza vaccines mentioned above can be used during the preparation stage. 【Pertussis vaccine】 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that every pregnant woman should receive a dose of Tdap vaccine at 27-36 weeks of pregnancy, regardless of when she last received the Td (tetanus, diphtheria combination vaccine) or Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis triple vaccine) vaccine. This vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis. Remember, the best time to get vaccinated is between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy so that both baby and mother are protected. Is HPV vaccination available? For the HPV vaccine that is now hotly rumored, the current guidelines allow pregnant women or women who are planning to get pregnant to be vaccinated. If an unplanned pregnancy is found, there is no need to abort as a result. The following vaccines are available to all expectant mothers according to their own situation. Rubella vaccine] Rubella virus is prone to vertical infection. When a pregnant woman is first infected with rubella virus in early pregnancy, the virus can enter the fetus through the placental barrier, often resulting in miscarriage or stillbirth, and can also lead to congenital rubella syndrome in the fetus, causing fetal malformations. The best way is, of course, to get vaccinated before pregnancy. For women of childbearing age who are not currently vaccinated in China, it is recommended that antibody testing be performed before conception and that women of childbearing age with negative antibodies be vaccinated, and that rubella vaccine be administered at least three months before conception. The effectiveness rate can reach more than 95%, and it can make the vaccinated person immune for life. Pregnant women who were not vaccinated prior to pregnancy and who are suspected of having rubella virus infection during pregnancy should visit a hospital as soon as possible for an immune antibody IgM assay. For fetuses with confirmed intrauterine infection, the pregnant woman should be informed of the long-term risks of rubella virus and be given the choice. 【Hepatitis B vaccine】 Mother-to-child transmission is one of the important ways of hepatitis B transmission. Hepatitis B virus is vertically transmitted and is able to infect the fetus through the placental barrier, intrapartum infection and postpartum infection. Among them, infection during delivery is the main route of mother-to-child transmission, accounting for 40% to 60%. Therefore, in order to protect infants from hepatitis B virus, they can be vaccinated if they are exposed to a high risk. Hepatitis B vaccination should be given according to the 0, 1, 6 procedure. That is, from the first dose, the second dose is given at 1 month thereafter, and the third dose is given at 6 months. Therefore, we recommend that the vaccine be given 9 months before pregnancy. Hepatitis A vaccine] Hepatitis A virus can be transmitted through water and diet. And the endocrine changes and increased nutritional demand during pregnancy will increase the burden on the liver, making it less able to resist the virus and highly susceptible to infection. Therefore, women who travel frequently or dine out frequently should be vaccinated before pregnancy. Vaccination should be given at least 3 months before you are ready to get pregnant. A very high level of antibodies can be produced in about 8 weeks after the hepatitis A vaccination and good immunity can be obtained, and a booster immunization can be given 3 years after the vaccination. Of course, the commonly used hepatitis A vaccines include domestic live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine and inactivated hepatitis A vaccine. Inactivated hepatitis A vaccine is safe for pregnant women. [Varicella vaccine] If you contract chickenpox in early pregnancy, it may lead to fetal congenital chickenpox or neonatal chickenpox. If chickenpox is contracted late in pregnancy, it may lead to severe pneumonia or even fatalities in pregnant women. Varicella infection can be effectively prevented during pregnancy by vaccination against varicella-zoster virus. The chickenpox vaccine can be resistant to the disease for more than 10 years. Pregnant women should be vaccinated 3 to 6 months before pregnancy In addition, since there is no specific drug treatment for varicella-zoster virus, the main focus is on prevention of infection, women of childbearing age should avoid contact with varicella patients before and after pregnancy. [Can I get the vaccine if I was bitten by a dog during pregnancy or if the wound is contaminated? Rabies vaccine inactivated virus vaccine, used for prevention after being bitten or scratched by dogs or other animals, can be given during pregnancy. Tetanus toxoid is used for prophylaxis after a contaminated wound and can be given during pregnancy. What vaccines can be given to nursing mothers? Any vaccine can be administered during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding does not affect vaccines and vaccines do not affect breast milk. What should women who are preparing for pregnancy be aware of when receiving vaccinations? If the vaccines given to women during pregnancy preparation are contraindicated during pregnancy, then it is recommended to wait 1 to 3 months after the vaccination before pregnancy. Of course, for vaccines that can be administered during pregnancy, you should refer to your doctor’s advice when preparing for a particular vaccine, but you still need to carefully read the drug instructions in advance to understand its contraindications and adverse reactions, and then decide on your own after fully weighing the pros and cons.