Pregnancy is a very delicate but very important phase of life for a woman. What one needs to keep in mind is not just the significance of this whole process that brings new life into existence but also the care that needs to be taken. This is because even slight carelessness during pregnancy may lead to devastating consequences in the future. Along with a healthy diet, routine, lifestyle, and such, vaccination is an aspect that plays a pivotal role during pregnancy. There are a few things that every mother-to-be must keep in mind while going for the necessary vaccination in this phase to ensure the best health conditions for both herself as well as the baby:

• One thing has to be clear in the mother’s mind that the vaccination is important for her health as well as the baby’s; the doses should not be missed under any circumstances. Vaccines and checkups should be regular during pregnancy.
• Not all vaccinations are recommended during pregnancy, so one needs to get vaccinated while planning the best for the situation and current condition of the to-be-mother. For example, the MMR vaccine that is for mumps, measles, and rubella is to be taken before pregnancy as it can lead to complications if taken during pregnancy.
• During pregnancy, the mother’s immunity weakens to a considerable extent as her body needs to support the growth and development of the baby as well. So she needs to get vaccinated to prevent herself from developing any infections or to limit the risk of any complications to the fetus. For example, certain vaccines are usually recommended during pregnancy in order to protect the mother herself as well as the baby from infections like whooping cough, the flu, and such.
• The type of vaccination that a mother needs to get before, during, and after pregnancy is not the same. It differs just like the nature of these phases does. An expectant mother needs to research and read up on vaccines that need to be taken and consult the doctor to answer any doubt or query she has.
• There are a few vaccines that should be especially avoided by pregnant women as they may have negative consequences for the developing child, resulting in a miscarriage, premature birth, or birth defects. A few examples of such vaccines are OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine), IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine), HPV (Human Papilloma Virus, MMR, Hepatitis A, and Varicella.

Vaccination is very important and should not be taken lightly during pregnancy. Also, regularity is very important, and one should keep this in mind for the best results to maintain the health of the baby and the mother. A woman should take a vaccine in the recommended period to ensure the maximum help in proper immunization and a healthy baby.