Immunization for a Pregnant Woman
By: Tsou JinyeuTotal Views: 155, Word Count: 503,
All of us have some degree of defense-system to fight against bacterial and viral infections. But this immunity cannot protect us from all kinds of infections. Our bodies build anti-bodies to fight a disease and although our body has the mechanism to fight against infections, it may not be able to produce enough anti-bodies to fight against a virus or bacteria. In the mean time the disease will spread even more quickly which can sometimes be fatal. That is why vaccinations are given.
When a vaccination is given to a person, the body is exposed to a small amount of the virus or bacteria. By doing so, the body will develop white blood cells or anti-bodies. This means that, whenever you contract that particular disease your body has enough of anti-bodies to fight against the disease and hence the risks are minimized.
Many vaccinations were given to you while you were a child, but there are many booster doses that one has to take during their adulthood, which we often forget about. It is better to consult your doctor to see if you are up to date with your immunization calendar. It is better to do this before you plan a pregnancy because some diseases, if contracted during pregnancy can pose risks to the growing fetus.
Also every now and then there is an outbreak of new diseases which was unheard of in earlier times. With the onset of new diseases, there is also an onset of new vaccinations. Many of these vaccinations can be taken during your adulthood. Therefore, it is better to seek advice of your health care provider to keep yourself immunized with all the latest vaccinations. You must at least, take vaccinations against those diseases which could risk your pregnancy. Ensure that you are up to date with all your vaccinations before you plan a pregnancy.
Vaccination advice for pregnant women
During your pregnancy, it is advisable not to take any vaccinations because the virus or bacteria from the vaccine can pass to the baby through the placenta and could be harmful for the baby. But in some cases of pregnancy, the woman may have to travel to a high risk disease country and may need to take a vaccination. You will need to speak with your doctor. Your doctor will weigh the risk of giving the vaccine against the risk of contracting the disease that could be harmful for both mother and baby and then make the decision. But it is advisable to avoid travelling to such countries during your pregnancy. After all pregnancy is a special period and you wouldn’t want to risk it for anything in the world.
Although doctors and health care provider’s advice against taking any vaccinations during pregnancy, there is little evidence to the risks posed by some of the vaccinations available. Some vaccinations are not detrimental for the mother or the fetus. But it is always better to seek advice from your general practitioner, in case of doubts.
About the Author
Dr Tsou Jinyeu is a well known gynecologist and has been in this field since 1995. His special interests are – genetic and birth defects, high risk obstetrics, lupus in pregnancy, premature labour, premature delivery, triplets and ultrasound diagnosis. He is graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Nowdays he is working as a medical doctor at Elmhurst Loyola Center for Health.
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