Immunization during pregnancy is one of the most effective ways to stay healthy in pregnancy and protect the baby in the first months.
The following schedule should be recommended to all pregnant people:
Vaccine | Gestational weeks | Time of the year |
Tdap | 27-36 weeks | All year |
COVID | Any week | All year, especially in the fall |
Flu | Any week | During flu season, ideally before November |
RSV | 32-36 weeks | September to January |
ACNM recommends that all midwives counsel pregnant people about getting these vaccines during pregnancy.
As members of the Maternal Immunization Task Force, we work to build partnerships and improve collaboration between healthcare professionals, community-based organizations, administrators, and researchers. As professional organizations whose members care for pregnant people, we affirm the importance of recommending and advocating that pregnant people receive all recommended vaccines at the appropriate time during each pregnancy. The current increase in hesitancy about the safety and efficacy of vaccines has created an environment that calls for our urgent commitment to discussing the evidence-based benefits of vaccination with pregnant people. Check out our partners' websites for more resources on immunization during pregnancy.
The evidence for pregnancy immunization
NEW recommendation: RSV vaccine in pregnancy. See the joint statement from the Maternal Immunization Task Force: Obstetric Care Professionals Recommend RSV Vaccine for Pregnant Individuals
- CDC recommendations on vaccines during pregnancy
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides advice and guidance to the Director of the CDC regarding the use of vaccines and related agents to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases in the civilian population of the United States. Recommendations made by the ACIP are reviewed by the CDC Director and, if adopted, are published as official CDC/HHS recommendations in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
- ACNM Immunization Survey Report: February 2024. ACNM surveyed members about barriers and facilitators for Administration of the RSV vaccine to pregnant people.
Learn more about Vaccine Recommendations and Guidelines of the ACIP:
COVID-19 ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
Tdap ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
Influenza ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
2024-25 updated RSV recommendations:
The CDC has published these resources to help midwives and other providers understand current recommendations on RSV vaccination during pregnancy. The CDC recommends a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant people during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy during September through January. However, in subsequent pregnancies, if a pregnant person already received the Abrysvo (maternal vaccine), CDC recommends that their newborns receive the monoclonal antibody for RSV. For more guidance and information, please visit the CDC websites:
Healthcare Providers: RSV Vaccination for Pregnant People
Frequently Asked Questions About RSVpreF (Abrysvo) Vaccine for Pregnant People
RSV ACIP Vaccine Recommendations
How to talk to pregnant people about vaccines
Person-centered immunization campaign
ACNM is excited to share our immunization in pregnancy campaign developed in 2022 and updated in 2024, encouraging pregnant people to get four essential vaccines: Tdap, COVID, flu, and RSV using neuroscience to optimize effectiveness.
In a world where misinformation is commonplace and where deliberate disinformation campaigns are on the rise, it can be very difficult for people to discern a true threat from important information for their health and well-being. This new campaign uses effective messaging to help people to make informed decisions regarding their health.
Download the campaign here:
Infographic
Social media campaign
Talking points for midwives about immunization during pregnancy
Download our updated guide on talking to pregnant people about vaccines.
CDC video series “How I recommend vaccination”
This video series highlights how to make strong vaccine recommendations, and answers questions related to vaccination in pregnancy.
This resource was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 5 NU38OT000287-05-00, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the US Department of Health and Human Services.