At a glance
- Three vaccines came up in my pregnancy: flu, COVID-19, and Tdap
- Tdap is recommended between weeks 27–32
- The key word to know: inactivated - the type given in pregnancy
- Your antibodies become the baby's starter immunity for the first months
I spent my evenings and weekends building a vaccine-tracking app, so this was the one part of pregnancy where I walked in with homework done. Here's what I got, when, and the one concept that makes all of it make sense.
The one concept: inactivated
Vaccines given during pregnancy are inactivated - they contain no live virus. That's the safety principle underneath the whole schedule, and the question worth asking about anything offered to you while pregnant.
What I got
- Influenza - mine was in December, mid-pregnancy. Flu hits harder in pregnancy, and the protection passes to the baby.
- COVID-19 - recommended, and the reasoning convinced me: the baby is born with your antibodies, and can't receive these vaccines themselves until at least six months old. Your dose covers their most vulnerable stretch.
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) - recommended between weeks 27 and 32, timed so peak antibodies transfer before birth. Pertussis - whooping cough - is the main target, and it's most dangerous to newborns.
My Tdap side effects, honestly
Backache, sore glutes, and leg cramps for a few days. For the cramps: pull your toes up toward you - it works mid-cramp. All of it passed; none of it changed my mind.
Filed for the recordThis is my experience plus general, publicly available information - not medical advice. Your situation may differ; always confirm with your own care provider.
Sources & further reading
- Health Canada - vaccination and pregnancy
- PregnancyInfo.ca (SOGC) - immunization in pregnancy
- HealthLink BC - vaccines recommended during pregnancy