Pregnancy and vaccination

During pregnancy, maternal antibodies protect the fetus from infections. Through the transfer of these antibodies, the newborn is protected during the first months of life until they are old enough to receive vaccinations. 

By getting vaccinated, you are protecting both yourself and your child. 

Rubella is generally a mild disease outside of pregnancy, but it can cause serious fetal complications during pregnancy. Preventing congenital rubella is the primary goal of rubella vaccination. If you have not received two doses of the rubella vaccine prior to pregnancy, you should get vaccinated against this disease. Pregnancy should be avoided for one month after vaccination. 

Measles is a highly contagious disease, and outbreaks, even epidemics, are regularly reported worldwide, including in Switzerland and Europe. If you are not protected against measles, you should be vaccinated before pregnancy. Pregnancy should be avoided for one month after vaccination. 

If you have never had chickenpox or have not yet been vaccinated, vaccination is recommended before pregnancy. Pregnancy should be avoided for one month after vaccination. 

Vaccination is only effective for a few years, so booster vaccinations are essential. It is recommended therefore to perform vaccination during each pregnancy (from the second trimester onwards). This will increase the levels of protective maternal antibodies transferred to the baby and prevent the mother from passing whooping cough on to her child after birth. It is also recommended to vaccinate any people who will come into contact with the infant (father, brothers and sisters, grandparents) if the last whooping cough vaccine was administered more than ten years ago. 

Vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, ideally just before the flu season (usually from December to April in Europe), to ensure protection during that period. However, it is possible to get vaccinated at any time during the flu season. 

Note: As vaccination recommendations may change over time, updates may have occurred between the writing of this text and the time you read it. Therefore, it is recommended to talk with your healthcare professional. ​​​​​​​

Source : 
FOPH vaccinations website