Vaccines

Some vaccines, such as the inactivated seasonal flu vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, and the whooping cough vaccine, are recommended during pregnancy to protect the health of you and your baby.  Find out more below and visit NHS vaccines during pregnancy website page.

Seasonal flu vaccine

Pregnant women are more at risk from seasonal flu, so it is recommended you should have this vaccine.  It is safe to have at any stage in pregnancy and your community midwife will advise you on when you can obtain it at your GP surgery. 

COVID-19 vaccine

If you're pregnant, or think you might be, it's strongly recommended you get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect you and your baby.

You're at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 if you're pregnant. If you get COVID-19 late in your pregnancy, your baby could also be at risk.

It's safe to have the vaccine during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date. You do not need to delay vaccination until after you have given birth.

Whooping Cough vaccine

Whooping cough (Pertussis) is a serious disease that can lead to pneumonia and permanent brain damage and in rare cases death.  Young babies are at an increased risk, and they remain so until they can be vaccinated against it from two months of age.  It is ideally recommended that pregnant women receive the vaccination between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy, so as to help protect your baby in the first few weeks of life.  Your community midwife will advise you on when you can obtain it at your GP surgery.