Vaccination in Pregnancy

ABSTRACT

Maternal immunisation has the potential to protect the mother and/ or the infant from mortality and morbidity from certain infectious diseases. Three vaccines are recommended during pregnancy in Australia (influenza, pertussis and COVID-19). Influenza vaccine is given to prevent severe disease in the mother but also protect infants in the first 6 months of life. There is emerging evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are also effective in protecting the infant against hospitalisation along with the well-established protection afforded to the mother. In contrast, pertussis vaccination during pregnancy is mainly given to protect the newborn from pertussis disease. This presentation will review the latest evidence for safety and efficacy of maternal immunisations including an overview of new vaccines on the horizon, including RSV and GBS vaccines.