COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding

People who are pregnant

The COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 and over, including pregnant women. If you are pregnant you may want to speak to your doctor about COVID-19 vaccination. While such a conversation can be helpful, it is not necessary before vaccination. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine from your doctor without any additional documentation.

The CDC recommendations are consistent with those of professional medical organizations caring for pregnant people, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistsexternal symbol

If you became pregnant after getting your first vaccination with a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses (e.g. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine), you should get your second Received vaccination to get as much protection as possible. If you have a fever after vaccination, you should take acetaminophen (Tylenol®), as fever has been linked to undesirable pregnancy outcomes for whatever reason.

If you are pregnant and have questions about the COVID-19 vaccination

If you would like to speak to anyone about COVID-19 vaccination while pregnant, you can contact MotherToBaby. MotherToBaby experts are available by phone or chat to answer questions in English or Spanish. The free and confidential service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (local time). How to contact MotherToBaby:

People who breastfeed

The COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 and over, including those who are breastfeeding. Clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines currently used in the United States did not include breastfeeding individuals. Because the vaccines have not been studied in breastfeeding individuals, limited data are available on:

Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in Breastfeeding People
Effects of vaccination on the breast-fed baby
Effects on milk production or excretion

COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause infection in anyone, including the mother or baby, and the vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19 in people who are breastfeeding. Recent reports have shown that breastfeeding people who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have antibodies in their breast milk that could help protect their babies. More data is needed to determine what protection these antibodies can offer the baby. 4-7

Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 After Vaccination: Follow Recommendations

After you are fully vaccinated, you may be able to participate in many of the activities that you did before the pandemic. Find out more about what to do when you are fully vaccinated.

If you have a medical condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may not be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your doctor. You may still need to take all precautions after vaccination.

Side effects of the vaccine

Side effects may occur after receiving any of the available COVID-19 vaccines, especially after the second dose for vaccines that require two doses. Pregnant women have not reported any side effects other than non-pregnant people after vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines). If you have a fever after vaccination, you should take acetaminophen (Tylenol®), as fever has been linked to undesirable pregnancy outcomes for whatever reason. For more information, see What to Expect After Receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine.

Although rare, some people have had allergic reactions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of allergic reaction to any other vaccine or injectable therapy (intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous).

Some of the most important considerations to discuss with your doctor include:

The unknown risks of a severe allergic reaction
The benefits of vaccination

If you have an allergic reaction after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, you can get treatment for it.

People who want to have a baby

The COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 and over, including people who are trying to get pregnant now or who may become pregnant in the future, as well as their partners.

Johnson & Johnsons Janssen (J & J / Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine: Women under the age of 50 should be particularly aware of the rare risk of blood clots with low platelets after vaccination. There are other COVID-19 vaccines for which this risk has not been seen. If you've received a J&J / Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, here are some things you need to know. Read the CDC / FDA statement.