Taking care of yourself is crucial to the health and development of your soon to be born baby.
There are a number of health routines that you’ll learn about when trying to conceive or during your pregnancy, such as diet and exercise, and very importantly making sure your vaccinations are up to date. During pregnancy, women are more susceptible to certain infectious diseases, putting not only yourself at risk but also your developing baby. We understand knowing what vaccinations are safe and when they are safe to do so during pregnancy can sometimes be overwhelming. That is why Dr Kothari recommends booking in regular health checks in his practice to help protect yourself from future harm, whether you are pregnant or still trying to conceive.
What vaccinations are recommended before conception?
Aside from routine immunisations such as tetanus and polio, there are certain vaccinations that women might need when planning to conceive. These include:
Measles, mumps and rubella
It is important to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella before you get pregnant, as contracting these infections during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for developing babies.
Chickenpox (varicella)
If you have not had chickenpox before, and you haven’t previously had a chickenpox vaccine, it’s recommended to be vaccinated before you conceive. If you are infected during the early stages of pregnancy it can cause birth defects. If you are infected close to when your baby is born, it can cause severe infection in your baby.
Pneumococcal
For women who are smokers or those with diabetes or chronic heart, kidney or lung disease, vaccination against pneumococcal disease can help protect women against other serious illnesses from developing such as meningitis, pneumonia and bacteraemia.
What vaccinations are recommended during pregnancy?
There are also a number of immunisations that are safe for women to have whilst pregnant. When women are vaccinated, the antibodies pass from you through to your baby inside the placenta. This can also protect them after birth until they are old enough to be immunised, and help reduce the risk of developing serious health problems. A general guide to immunisations for women who are pregnant is as follows:
Influenza
As babies under 6 months are at high risk of contracting influenza and are too young to be vaccinated against it, it is recommended women have the influenza vaccine during any stage of their pregnancy. If pregnant women become infected with influenza the risk of complications are much higher.
Whooping cough (pertussis)
Not only does the whooping cough vaccine protect mothers from catching the disease, but also reduces the risk of passing it on to their baby. If caught, whooping cough can develop serious health problems and can be deadly.
One of the best ways to protect yourself and your new baby from contracting common infectious diseases is by making sure your vaccinations are up to date. If you are planning a pregnancy or have recently conceived, we advise booking in a consultation with Dr Kothari to discuss your vaccination history and which ones you may need before giving birth. If you would like to book a consultation, please contact our clinic on 02 4225 1999.