- With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
"Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms
As medical editor-in-chief, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for MayoClinic.com to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.
The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a consultant and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.
From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs before taking this leadership role. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this Web site. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.
"My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."
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Question
Vaccines during pregnancy: Are they safe?
I'm wondering about vaccines during pregnancy. Which vaccines are recommended during pregnancy? Which vaccines should be avoided?
Answer
from Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Generally, vaccines that contain inactivated (killed) viruses can be given during pregnancy. Vaccines that contain live viruses are not recommended for pregnant women.
The only vaccine routinely recommended during pregnancy is an influenza shot for women who are 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. However, be sure to request the shot and not the nasal spray vaccine, which is made from a live virus.
Your health care provider may recommend a tetanus and diphtheria (Td) booster shot if you haven't had one in 10 or more years or if you have a deep cut during your pregnancy. Another form of the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine — called the Tdap — also offers protection from pertussis (whooping cough). Although the Tdap vaccine generally isn't given during pregnancy, your health care provider will likely recommend a Tdap vaccine as soon as the baby is born if you haven't had one before. In some cases, other vaccines are recommended after pregnancy as well.
If you're traveling abroad or you're at increased risk of certain infections, your health care provider may recommend other vaccines during pregnancy — such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal or pneumococcal vaccines.
In addition, certain vaccines are generally avoided during pregnancy, including:
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella (German measles)
Breast-feeding while pregnant: Is it safe?
- Gerbie MV, et al. Pertussis disease in new mothers: Effect on young infants and strategies for prevention. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2009;113:399.
- Immunization and pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/downloads/f_preg.pdf. Accessed Feb. 26, 2009.
- Immunization and pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/downloads/f_preg_chart.pdf. Accessed Feb. 26, 2009.
- Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Accessed Feb. 26, 2009.
