Do the vaccines I’ve already had protect my baby?

Antibodies (proteins in the blood that help the immune system find and destroy bacteria or viruses) are developed through immunization (proteins in the blood that help the immune system find and destroy bacteria or viruses) and are passed to the developing baby through the placenta. Most of the transfer of these antibodies occurs during the third trimester.

This protection lasts the baby’s first few months of life. Immunity from you declines during the first year of life.

You’re also protected from becoming sick with diseases that could harm your baby if you become sick during pregnancy. These include chickenpox (varicella) and German measles (rubella). Vaccines are the best way to protect against these types of diseases.

Talk with your health care provider about keeping your immunizations up-to-date.