Vaccinations can help protect you and your baby from serious diseases. Unlike most medicines that treat or cure diseases, vaccines prevent them. They work by boosting the immune system’s ability to fight certain infections. Generally, vaccines that contain inactivated viruses can be given during pregnancy. Vaccines that contain live viruses aren’t recommended for pregnant patients.

Vaccinations for Moms-to-be

Certain vaccinations (also known as immunizations or shots) are recommended for pregnant patients:

Influenza (flu) vaccine. The flu vaccine is recommended for anyone who is pregnant during flu season — typically November through March. The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus, so it’s safe for both you and your baby. Avoid the influenza nasal spray vaccine, which is made from a live virus.

Tdap vaccine. One dose of the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine is given when you’re 27 to 36 weeks pregnant to protect your newborn from whooping cough (pertussis).

COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or those who might become pregnant in the future. Visit our COVID-19 resources page for the latest information.

If you’re traveling abroad or you’re at increased risk for certain infections, your health care provider might recommend other vaccines during pregnancy — such as the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines.

Some vaccines to avoid during pregnancy include:

• Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Shingles (varicella zoster) vaccine

Grandparents, other family members and caregivers need to make sure they’re up to date on the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine at least two weeks before meeting a newborn to protect against the potentially deadly disease. The Tdap vaccine for whooping cough and other diseases is available from a primary care provider.

Vaccinations for Children

The CDC recommends an immunization schedule designed to protect infants and children early in life, when they are most vulnerable, and before they’re exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.

A child’s vaccination schedule begins at birth with the hepatitis B vaccine. The next set of vaccines is administered at 2 months old. These include:

• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis [whooping cough])
• IPV (inactivated polio vaccine)
• Hepatitis B booster
• Pneumococcal vaccine
• Hib (Haemophilus influenzae Type B)
• Rotavirus vaccine

Additional vaccinations are given during your baby’s first 18 months and then throughout childhood. Your pediatrician will guide you through the process, although you can review the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule.

What to Expect from Norton Women’s Care

More mothers in Louisville and Southern Indiana choose to deliver their babies at Norton Hospital or Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital than with any other hospital system in the area.

We deliver more than 8,000 babies a year. We’re close to you with more than 90 providers at more than 25 locations around Louisville and Southern Indiana. Choosing Norton Women’s Care gives you many options for how delivery day could go — all with the confidence of knowing that our obstetrics and pediatric specialists are there to help. With Norton Women’s Care you’ll find:

• The birth experience you want. You can choose natural childbirth, a midwife, labor tub, nitrous oxide and other birthing options. We’ll recommend a C-section (cesarean section) or induced labor only if it’s medically necessary.
• Preparation. Our specialists offer the support you need, including free Lamaze and other childbirth classes, new parent classes, breastfeeding support, child safety classes and more.
• Confidence and quality in care. Norton Women’s Care has been recognized as High Performing — the highest rating available — for maternity care with fewer complications and C-sections, plus breastfeeding support and other benefits.
• The highest level (Level IV) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Louisville and Southern Indiana at Norton Children’s Hospital, and a sophisticated Level III NICU at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
• Around-the-clock OB/GYN care at Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency departments.
• Board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists who can help guide you through a high-risk pregnancy, from preexisting diabetes to a fetal echocardiogram to diagnose a congenital heart defect before a baby is born.
• Convenient access to your medical record. Communicate with your health care provider, get lab results, renew prescriptions and more through your free MyNortonChart account.