How vaccines work for pregnancy and newborns

This animation explains how vaccines help your immune system to make antibodies to help fight serious diseases. It helps parents understand how vaccines help while pregnant to protect the baby when they are born.

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The most effective way to protect our children from birth and prevent

serious illness from these diseases is to get vaccinated during pregnancy.

The flu vaccine is recommended for every pregnancy and at any stage of your pregnancy.

The whooping cough vaccine is recommended between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy although it can be given up to the time of delivery.

The RSV vaccine is recommended for women at 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy.

It is safe for pregnant women to receive all 3 vaccines at the same time.

By getting these vaccines during pregnancy, you can protect your baby in the first few months after birth, when they are most vulnerable and cannot yet be vaccinated themselves.

The influenza, whooping cough and RSV vaccines are free for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program.

For more information, visit health.gov.au/maternalvaccinations

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