Recommended Vaccines for Women

• Immunization against influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases is an essential component of women’s health care.
• In women aged 9-14 years old, a 2-dose schedule for HPV vaccination is recommended to prevent HPV infection, which is a cause of cervical cancer. For women over the age of 14, a total of 3 injections are recommended. The HPV vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy.
• Certain vaccines should not be given during pregnancy as they can negatively impact the fetus. If you are planning a pregnancy you should consult a doctor for advice and recommendations on the appropriate vaccinations to receive. 

In addition to the recommended vaccinations given according to age, from birth to adulthood, to stimulate immunity to various diseases, women should receive additional vaccinations due to their complex body functions. This is especially true during pregnancy, when the risk of various diseases which may affect the mother and fetus is increased.

Even though more than 50% of all pregnancies are unplanned, all women should, as a rule, receive certain vaccinations prior to pregnancy. The following are the most important vaccinations that every woman should receive:

• Influenza vaccine: This vaccine helps to reduce the risk and severity of the disease. Injections should be received once a year.
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) Vaccine: Women who have never received these 3 vaccines should begin at the earliest opportunity, after which a routine booster immunization should be given every 10 years.
• Hepatitis A vaccine (HAV) for those at risk of infection from hepatitis A: Vaccinations should be given in 2 doses 6 months apart.
• Hepatitis B vaccine: For women aged 15 years and older, a blood test is recommended first to check for immunity. If there is no immunity, a single-dose injection should be given. After 2 months, another immunity test should be given; if the patient is immune, then a second dose of the vaccine is not necessary and a booster immunization shot should be given every 10 years. If immunity is not detected at this time then the full 3-dose vaccination schedule should be carried out, after which a blood test to check for immunity is recommended. If an immune response is detected after just 1 dose, this means the patient has already received this type of vaccination as a child. If immunity is not detected even after the full 3-dose vaccination has been received, this means the patient is in the poor or non-responder group, meaning they are not responding to the vaccine and should be extra careful to prevent infecting the hepatitis B virus.
• HPV vaccine: A 2-dose schedule is recommended for women age 9-14. For women who have been sexually active, however, a check-up should be carried out first to ensure there is no abnormality or cancer present. If none are found then the vaccine can be administered. For women over the age of 14, a total of 3 injections are recommended. The HPV vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy as there is still not enough data confirming the safety of the fetus.
• Mumps and rubella (German measles) vaccine: Women without a prior vaccination history or who do not have immunity to rubella should be vaccinated at least once. In addition to helping prevent the disease in the mother, the vaccine can also prevent the occurrence of congenital rubella in the baby after birth. Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause a variety of abnormalities in the baby such as blindness and deafness.

It’s important to remember that women should use birth control for at least 1 month after receiving this particular vaccine. Some doctors may recommend at least 3 months depending on the vaccine brand. You can ask your doctor for details and recommendations. The use of birth control is necessary because it is a live attenuated vaccine and thus can result in disabilities in the fetus.

• Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: There is currently no confirmation that this vaccine is safe during pregnancy, and it has been reported to increase the risk of serious birth defects and issues of low birth weight in babies. Therefore, if you are planning to have children you should avoid becoming pregnant until at least 1 to 3 months after receiving the vaccination. Postpartum mothers can, however, receive their first varicella (chickenpox) vaccination before leaving the hospital and the second dose 6-8 weeks after giving birth.
• Shingles vaccine: Women aged 50+ should receive this vaccine.
• Meningococcal vaccine: Women who are traveling to Africa, are planning to study abroad in a country where meningococcal disease is still prevalent, or are taking pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia are at risk of infection and should receive a vaccination prior to travel.
• Pneumonia vaccine: Women who have medical indications for high-risk of pneumonia should be vaccinated, as well as those who smoke or have chronic lung disease (including asthma), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or an immunodeficiency disorder. It is also recommended that any not-at-risk woman over 50 years of age receive this vaccination.

There are a number of vaccinations that are not prohibited during pregnancy. In fact, they are actually highly recommended during the prenatal period. An example of this is the influenza vaccine—if pregnant mothers have not received this particular vaccine within the past year, the doctor will recommend they receive vaccination against influenza after the first trimester of pregnancy. One dose of the Tdap vaccine is also recommended during the third trimester of pregnancy to protect against the occurrence of whooping cough (pertussis), diphtheria, and tetanus in newborns.

There are also certain vaccines that are prohibited during pregnancy, as these can infect the fetus and cause disability to various organs. These include the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, the shingles vaccine, and the mumps and rubella vaccine.

If you are planning a pregnancy you should consult a doctor for advice on the appropriate vaccinations to receive during each pregnancy trimester to ensure the safety and health of both mother and baby.

Vaccination and Travel Medicine Center

The Vaccination and Travel Medicine Center aims to educate patients about disease prevention and immunization. If you are preparing to travel to a different region of the world, it is important to be aware that there may be different endemic diseases to which you will have no pre-existing resistance. We provide consultation and vaccination services for Thai, expatriate and international travelers. We will discuss with you what health preparations are necessary and what precautions are advisable before embarking on a trip.