Maaike
van de Donk
obstetric - team pink - preconception care
Whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy
Whooping cough can be serious for young babies. It can cause them to develop pneumonia or due to lack of oxygen to the brain, breathlessness and brain damage. Each year about 170 young infants are hospitalized with whooping cough, some of which can even lead to death.
Many children in the Netherlands are vaccinated against whooping cough when they are 2 months old through the National Vaccination Scheme. So the first few months a baby is not yet protected. Many babies who get the disease therefore get it in the first few months after birth. You can get yourself vaccinated during your pregnancy so that you and your baby are protected. Your baby is then protected from day 1. You can get the 22-week whooping cough shot at your local health authority.
Flu vaccination during pregnancy
In the first few months after birth, your baby’s immune system is not yet strong enough to overcome the flu. As a result, newborn babies can become seriously ill from the flu. Even you yourself as a pregnant person can become more seriously ill from the flu than if you were not pregnant. You can therefore have yourself vaccinated during your pregnancy so that you and your baby are protected. Your baby is then protected from day 1. You can get the 22-week whooping cough shot at your local health clinic. During the flu season, you can also get a flu vaccination if you are more than 22 weeks pregnant.
RSV, Babies, and Pregnancy
The RSV (Retinal Red Virus) is common and can cause a serious respiratory infection, especially in babies. If you are pregnant, infection is usually not dangerous for you or your unborn baby. The virus is not transmitted through the placenta. However, it is important to be extra careful around birth, as newborns are still vulnerable. Good hygiene and avoiding contact with sick people can reduce the risk of infection.
A vaccine is now available that can be given during pregnancy. This helps protect the baby against the RSV for approximately six months after birth. You have to pay for this vaccine yourself and can be arranged through the GGD.
In addition, babies can receive a protective shot after birth to reduce the risk of serious illness from RSV. Babies born from October to March receive the shot within two weeks of birth. Babies born from April to September receive the shot in September or October.
Travel and vaccinations during pregnancy
Do you want to take a nice trip and are you planning to get pregnant or are you pregnant? Then it is important to read and prepare well about this. Contact the travel department of the GGD well in advance. They have the most recent information per region and also know which vaccinations are or are not safe if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant.
- Whooping cough shot for pregnant women (22-week shot)
- Vaccinations during pregnancy (RIVM)
- Vaccinations (deverloskundige.nl)
Although the flu shot has only been advised to pregnant women in the Netherlands since 2021, it has been given for many years in many other countries. As a result, much data is available on safety. This shows that the flu shot has no negative effects on the pregnant woman or her baby!
If you are pregnant, you can get vaccinated from week 22 of your pregnancy. To do so, make an appointment at the consultation office in Eindhoven or in Waalre, via the GGD Brabant Zuidoost website.