Pregnant and Protected from COVID-19
Pregnancy can bring both joy and worries, and COVID-19 has made things more challenging for moms-to-be who want to keep themselves and their developing babies safe. COVID-19 is still spreading, and getting up to date with COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to be protected. If you’re not up to date with the COVID-19 vaccines, you’re at a higher risk of Long COVID and severe illness if you get sick with COVID-19. This includes admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), needing a ventilator to breathe and other complications that can affect you and your developing baby.
From scientific studies including hundreds of thousands of women around the world, we know that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 before, during or after pregnancy is safe for you and your baby. Vaccinated mothers also pass the antibodies they create from the vaccines to their babies. These antibodies can protect babies during the first few months of their lives when they are too young to get the vaccine.
The Pregnant & Protected campaign aims to give you the information and resources you need to make an informed choice about staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Talk with a trusted health care provider, like your OB/GYN, nurse, doula, midwife or local pharmacist to make a plan to get up to date.
If you are a clinical or community partner, you can access campaign resources and materials.
Hear Women’s Stories
Hear from real women about their experiences with COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines during their pregnancies.
The Risk: How COVID-19 Illness Can Affect You and Your Pregnancy
- If you are pregnant or recently pregnant (at least 42 days after pregnancy), you are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 compared to people who are not pregnant.
- Women who get sick with COVID-19 during pregnancy are more likely to experience stillbirth, preterm birth and possibly other pregnancy-related complications.
Vaccines: A Safe Choice for You and Your Baby
- Studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for women who are thinking about getting pregnant, currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
- There is no evidence that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 before or during pregnancy increases your risk of complications that affect your pregnancy or fertility.
The Benefits of Protection
- Women who are vaccinated before or during pregnancy or while breastfeeding are protected from getting very sick and hospitalized from COVID-19.
- Vaccinated pregnant and breastfeeding women pass the antibodies their bodies make in response to the vaccines on to their babies. This can help protect their babies from serious illness caused by COVID-19 when they are too young to get vaccinated.
Do you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines? Get them answered here:
How do I know if I’m up to date with the COVID-19 vaccines?
You are up to date with the COVID-19 vaccines if you get one dose of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Even if you got multiple doses of the older vaccine earlier, you are best protected by getting the updated vaccine, available in September 2023. If you haven’t ever gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, you can get up to date by getting one dose of this updated vaccine. If you are not up to date, read more below to learn about why getting vaccinated is the best choice for you and your baby. You can also talk to your trusted health care provider, like an OB/GYN, nurse, doula, midwife or local pharmacist. When you’re ready, visit VaccineFinder to find where you can get a vaccine near you.
What is the updated COVID-19 vaccine? Why do I need it?
Updated vaccines protect you from different variants of the virus that cause COVID-19, including the Omicron variants. The vaccine is key to helping you be the most protected against the risk of serious complications that can happen to you and your developing baby if you get sick with COVID-19 while pregnant or breastfeeding your baby. The updated vaccine works the same way as the original vaccines. Research shows that staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines greatly reduces your risk of hospitalization, plus your baby’s risk of hospitalization during their first months of life when they are too young to get vaccinated.
I'm pregnant, but why should I get vaccinated if I can still get sick with COVID-19?
Congratulations on your pregnancy! During pregnancy, your immune system and your heart and lungs work hard to support you and your developing baby. This makes you more likely to get seriously ill if you get sick with COVID-19. Getting COVID-19 during pregnancy may lead to hospitalization, stillbirth (loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy), preterm birth (delivering a baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed) and rarely, even death. Large real-world studies from the last two years show that staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, even if you had COVID-19 before, is the best defense to protect you from severe illness and complications. Your protection in turn protects your developing baby and newborn.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe for my baby and me?
You take many steps to be as safe and healthy as possible during pregnancy, like exercising and avoiding certain foods. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines is another key step to helping you have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Scientific studies from across the world have followed women who received COVID-19 vaccines while pregnant and have not found any increase in stillbirth (loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy), preterm birth (delivering a baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed) or other complications for pregnant women and their developing babies.
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccines if I’m immunocompromised or have other underlying conditions like diabetes or heart disease?
Yes. Some conditions or treatments can make your immune system weak. It’s especially important for you to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines since being immunocompromised while pregnant puts you at a higher risk for experiencing severe illness or pregnancy complications if you get sick with COVID-19. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines will reduce your chances of getting seriously ill if you do get the virus while pregnant. Talk with your health care provider since they may recommend taking an additional dose to make sure you’re best protected.
Is there a specific time I should get vaccinated?
It’s safe and protective to get the COVID-19 vaccines at any point before or during your pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Even if you got sick with COVID-19 in the past, staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines will help reduce your risk of complications if you get sick with COVID-19 again while pregnant. The antibodies your body makes in response to the vaccines can also protect your baby in their first months of life when they are too young to get vaccinated. The best time to get up to date is as soon as possible.
How do I know getting COVID-19 vaccines won’t impact my fertility or ability to have a baby in the future?
There is a lot of scary misinformation online about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility. Rest assured that many women have received their COVID-19 vaccines before and during their pregnancies over the last two years and had safe and healthy pregnancies. There is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men. Learn more at COVID-19 Vaccines for People Who Would Like to Have a Baby | CDC.
If I’m pregnant, can I get other vaccines at the same time as my COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, getting other vaccines like the flu and Tdap vaccines at the same time or shortly before or after your COVID-19 vaccine is safe. Your health care provider can help you make a plan to get all the vaccines recommended during pregnancy to keep you and your baby protected and healthy. Learn more at Vaccine Safety for Moms-To-Be | CDC.
To learn more about staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines before or during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, visit Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People | CDC and talk to your trusted health care provider.
This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.