The following Guidelines present the most up-to-date treatment and management recommendations, which may be modified and altered after detailed analysis of a specific clinical situation, which in turn might lead to future modifications and updates.
The following Guidelines present the most up-to-date treatment and management recommendations, which may be modified and altered after detailed analysis of a specific clinical situation, which in turn might lead to future modifications and updates.
Pregnant women constitute a unique group of patients, who require an individualized approach to vaccination, with special emphasis on maternal and fetal safety. Based on individual immune response, vaccination will result in the development of varying levels of immunity, which offers protection to the mother and the fetus/neonate. Depending on the preparation, administration of a vaccine to a pregnant woman results in the synthesis of various types of specific antibodies, followed by their transport across the placenta to the fetus. As a result, maternal antibodies protect the neonates during the first few weeks of their life [1, 2].
Mandatory vaccination in Poland is free of charge (until the patient is 19 years old), whereas all additional vaccines for adults of all ages, including pregnant women, are voluntary. Still, these vaccines are recommended, especially if there is risk of serious health consequences after being infected with, for example, COVID-19, influenza, pertussis. Some of the vaccines are refunded but the cost of others will need to be fully covered by the patient.
In order to provide the mother and the child with the highest possible level of protection, immunization should be initiated in a timely manner, preferably already at the stage of preconception. When planning for pregnancy, it is useful to analyze the immunization records of the woman, as well as collect a detailed history of pediatric infectious diseases. It helps the physician to establish the immunological status of the patient and allows to prepare an individualized plan for the recommended immunizations. Therefore, it is prudent to design the immunization schedule already during the preconception period and adjust it to both, maternal health status and the characteristics of the given vaccine, taking into account time elapsed before full immunity is achieved [3]. Immunity following childhood vaccinations is often insufficient so the importance of a booster dose, especially in cases of some vaccines (e.g., tetanus, pertussis) needs to be emphasized. Such management would offer a unique opportunity to optimize maternal and neonatal health [4–6].
Standard protocol needs to be followed in case of both, the eligibility process and the vaccination procedure in the group of pregnant women. As far as immunization during pregnancy is concerned, breastfeeding is not a contraindication. Taking into account maternal and fetal safety, and possible consequences resulting from various infections, it is necessary to classify the preparations into priority vaccines as well as secondary importance vaccines, which should be administered only in special circumstances and if there is high risk for infection.
It is vital to differentiate between vaccines which may be used in pregnant women and those which are contraindicated in pregnancy.
Vaccines which contain inactivated pathogens or their fragments may be administered to pregnant women, and these include:
recombinant;
subunit;
polysaccharide;
conjugate;
toxoid;
mRNA and non-replicating viral vaccines.
Vaccines which contain live weakened (attenuated) pathogens cannot be administered to pregnant women and these include:
measles, mumps, rubella (combination) vaccine;
varicella vaccine;
tuberculosis vaccine;
nasal spray flu vaccine.