Pregnant women and new-borns are at greater risk of developing severe forms of certain infectious diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, such as influenza (flu), whooping cough (pertussis), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
The flu in pregnant women can be more severe, lead to premature birth or low birth weight, and can also be a serious illness for the new-born. Whooping cough causes severe coughing fits and, in infants (especially those under 6 months of age), can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, febrile convulsions, respiratory arrest, loss of appetite, middle ear infection, dehydration and neurological consequences (e.g. cerebral haemorrhages). RSV is the most common cause of acute bronchiolitis in young children. Infants (particularly those under 6 months of age) are at greater risk, especially premature babies, children with chronic lung disease and children with severe congenital heart defects.
Vaccination against whooping cough, the flu and RSV is therefore particularly recommended for pregnant women. This provides safe and effective protection for both the pregnant woman and her new-born, as the antibodies produced following vaccination are passed from the mother to the baby, protecting the baby during the first few months of life. Vaccinating pregnant women also reduces the risk of infection being passed from mother to baby after birth.
Vaccinations for pregnant women against whopping cough, flu and RSV are funded by compulsory health insurance. They are administered by selected personal physicians, other doctors and regional units of the National Institute of Public Health.
In principle, vaccinations with inactivated vaccines can be administered simultaneously or at any interval; however, a time interval of at least two weeks is recommended between the whooping cough vaccination and the RSV vaccination (we recommend that the whooping cough vaccination be administered first). If the recommended interval cannot be observed, the whooping cough and RSV vaccinations may be administered simultaneously.
Vaccination of pregnant women against whooping cough is recommended as soon as possible after the 24th week of pregnancy, and should be carried out during every pregnancy. The vaccination is administered as a single dose of the combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
Vaccination of pregnant women against RSV is recommended between 24th and 36th week of pregnancy inclusive (i.e. from 24 weeks and 0 days to 36 weeks and 6 days). The vaccination is administered as a single dose of the RSV vaccine.
The RSV vaccine is currently not a seasonal vaccine, as there is no data yet on the duration of the protection. At this time, there are also no recommendations for revaccination during a subsequent pregnancy.
Vaccination of pregnant women against flu is recommended before the flu season. The vaccination is administered with a single dose of an inactivated flu vaccine containing the antigens recommended by the World Health Organization for the autumn-winter season.
Vaccination with live vaccines (i.e. vaccination against measles, chickenpox, etc.) is contraindicated during pregnancy. A woman who has been vaccinated with a live vaccine should postpone pregnancy for at least 4 weeks. If a pregnant woman is inadvertently vaccinated with a live vaccine, termination of pregnancy is not recommended. In exceptional cases, vaccination against yellow fever may be administered to a pregnant woman who has to travel urgently to an endemic area, provided that the risks and benefits are carefully considered.
In general, vaccination with inactivated vaccines during pregnancy is considered safe and is carried out after weighing up the risks and benefits.
Vaccination of breastfeeding mothers is safe, and they can be vaccinated with both live and inactivated vaccines, with the exception of the yellow fever vaccine (if the child is under 9 months old) and the dengue vaccine.
If a woman who is breastfeeding a baby under 9 months of age cannot postpone travel to an area where yellow fever is endemic and there is a high risk of infection, vaccination is required, and she is advised to temporarily stop breastfeeding for at least 2 weeks. To maintain the lactation during this period, it is recommended that she expresses her milk, which should then be discarded. A temporary break from breastfeeding is also advised for women who are breastfeeding and who require a dengue vaccination due to travel to an endemic area.
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