To put the odds on your side during pregnancy, there are several diseases that must absolutely be avoided. Fortunately, several vaccines exist to protect us from it.
Before pregnancy
Of course, talking about vaccination before pregnancy assumes that you are planning your pregnancy. When this is the case, you think about taking vitamins and quitting drinking and smoking. Vaccination should also be part of this preparation step, especially since several diseases that were on the way to disappearing, such as measles, have been making a comeback in recent years.
You may already be protected against many of the most dangerous diseases during pregnancy, such as diphtheria, tetanus and polio, but to be sure that everything is in order, it is better to find your vaccination record and bring it to your doctor.
Measles, rubella, mumps (MMR)
Getting rubella can have serious consequences for your fetus and could lead to deafness, cataracts, mental retardation, bone damage and increasedthe size of his spleen and liver. If you catch it in the first trimester, your fetus has an 85% chance of getting it too. measles and mumps, for their part, can be responsible for miscarriages. That's why it's important to make sure your MMR vaccination is up to date before planning a pregnancy.
Because MMR is a live attenuated vaccine, it cannot be given during pregnancy. Once you have it, you will also have to wait a month before trying to conceive.
Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (Td or Tdap)
Diphtheria and tetanus (Td) vaccines are safe during pregnancy and can be given to pregnant women. It is therefore not necessary to take it before, although adults should have a booster every ten years. This vaccine, which also immunizes against whooping cough, was probably given to you during childhood, otherwise it is recommended to give it before pregnancy to avoid problems.
Hepatitis A and B
In many cases, it is good to be immune to hepatitis B. Because of your job, you may already be. For example, he althcare workers are vaccinated. It can also be due to lifestyle (new sexual partners or use of needles). Hepatitis B can also be contracted through pedicures and tattoos with improperly sterilized equipment. For whichis hepatitis A, people who travel to certain countries where it is possible to contract it through food and swimming in contaminated water should be vaccinated.
Since viral hepatitis can be transmitted to the fetus, it is better to be protected. The vaccine that protects against these two types of hepatitis is called Twinrix and should not be given during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. It would therefore be wise to receive it before becoming pregnant.
Seasonal flu
The flu increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. For this reason, it is best to get vaccinated if your pregnancy coincides with flu season. According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), the influenza vaccine is safe during pregnancy, it will protect your baby for her first months of life and should be requested at the most appropriate time, depending on the season in which you will be pregnant.
On a trip
If you are planning to travel during pregnancy, for pleasure or business, do not hesitate to go to a travel clinic where you will be informed of the vaccines that are required in the countries you intend to visit. You will be explained which vaccines are contraindicated during pregnancy and which ones you should receive before interrupting your method of contraception.
