Key takeaways:
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective to receive during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. It lowers the risk of developing severe COVID.
Between Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, it doesn’t matter which COVID vaccine you receive. If you’ve already received the updated 2025-2026 vaccine, you don’t need any additional doses during pregnancy.
You may experience some mild and temporary vaccine side effects shortly after your shot, including muscle soreness, fatigue, and headache. These are normal. If you develop a fever, though, let your prenatal care team know. Fever from any cause can be harmful to your baby.
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For many, finding out you’re pregnant is one of the happiest moments of your life. You’re about to welcome a new member to your family and you’d do anything to keep them safe. You diligently take your prenatal vitamins, avoid alcohol, and are conscious of how much caffeine you’re drinking. You may even give up your favorite sushi roll for the next 9 months. So why should vaccines be any different?
As we’ve learned more about COVID-19, we know that vaccination is yet another important strategy in keeping you and your baby safe. The recommendations for COVID vaccination in pregnancy have changed over time, though. And the CDC’s decision to stop recommending universal vaccination during pregnancy conflicts with the recommendations of many medical organizations. So it’s understandable if you have some confusion about what’s best for you and your baby.
Let’s discuss the most common COVID vaccination concerns of expecting mothers so you can arm yourself with the most up-to-date information in keeping you and your baby safe.
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Is it safe to get the COVID vaccine while pregnant?
Yes, the COVID vaccine is safe to receive during pregnancy.
Researchers have examined hundreds of thousands of cases involving pregnant women who’ve received a COVID vaccine. Compared to those who didn’t receive a COVID vaccine, there weren’t any known concerns for birth defects, early delivery, or miscarriage or stillbirth. A more recent paper that combined the results of more than 175 studies agreed with these findings.
Researchers have also studied if and how COVID vaccines affect babies during their first 4 weeks of life. A study of over 90,000 women who received the COVID vaccine during pregnancy didn’t find any safety concerns. Furthermore, two 2025 studies found that the COVID vaccine didn’t increase the risk of birth defects regardless of whether it was given in early or late pregnancy.
The vaccine may actually be protective during your baby’s first few weeks of life. The vaccine can protect newborns from COVID illness when they’re particularly vulnerable.
What are the risks of receiving the COVID vaccine while pregnant?
If you’re pregnant, you’re likely to experience the same types of vaccine side effects as people who aren’t pregnant. These include:
Soreness in your arm
Tiredness
Headache
Chills
Nausea
Fever
Choosing a COVID-19 vaccine: Take a deeper dive into the 2025-2026 COVID vaccines to help you decide which one to get.
Vaccines during pregnancy: Here’s a summary of the key benefits of getting vaccinated while you’re expecting.
Paxlovid in pregnancy: Discover what to expect from this virus-fighting medication if you need treatment for an active COVID infection.
It’s important to know that the COVID vaccine can’t cause COVID, either. This is because it doesn’t contain a live virus. Symptoms like these are typically a sign that your body is responding to the vaccine and is building protection against future infection.
Fevers are one exception. Having a fever during pregnancy — regardless of the reason — can be a sign of something more serious. You should contact your prenatal team right away if you develop a fever during pregnancy, even if the fever starts after a vaccine.
Most women can safely take an over-the-counter fever-reducer such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy. You should reach out to your prenatal care team before taking it to make sure it’s a good idea, though. You should also let them know if any of your symptoms last longer than a couple days or seem to be getting worse.
Which COVID vaccines are safe during pregnancy?
No single COVID vaccine is preferred or considered safer than the other. You can choose from any of the available 2025-2026 COVID vaccines, including:
Spikevax, the original Moderna mRNA vaccine
mNEXSPIKE, the “next-generation” Moderna mRNA vaccine
Comirnaty, the Pfizer mRNA vaccine
Nuvaxovid, the Novavax adjuvanted protein-based vaccine
You can be vaccinated at any point in your pregnancy. But it’s best to do so as soon as possible to maximize protection for you and your baby.
Do you need multiple COVID vaccine doses during pregnancy?
No, if you’ve already received your updated 2025-2026 COVID vaccine, you don’t need another dose.
Good to know: If you have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or medication, you may need additional doses. This decision is best made with the healthcare professional that’s managing your specific condition.
Is it better to be vaccinated or unvaccinated during pregnancy?
Available data and expert recommendations show that it’s better to be vaccinated than unvaccinated during pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant, you’re more likely to get very sick from COVID compared to someone who isn’t pregnant. This means that you may be more likely to need treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU), to be on a ventilator to help you breathe, or to die from an infection. COVID infection can also worsen the risk of having complications during pregnancy, including blood clots, high blood pressure (including preeclampsia), or heavy bleeding after delivery.
Many people think that the COVID vaccine increases the risk of complications during pregnancy. But it’s actually the infection itself that’s dangerous. Severe COVID infections increase the risk of having your baby early or delivering a stillborn baby. It also increases the chance of your baby having to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after delivery.
Although the vaccines can cause side effects, the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the potential risks. COVID vaccines decrease the risk of severe infection and complications from infection. Both the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that you receive a COVID vaccine during pregnancy. The CDC also still acknowledges that it’s important for pregnant people to stay up to date with their 2025-2026 COVID vaccine.
Keep in mind: There are a couple exceptions to these recommendations. If you had a serious reaction to a COVID vaccine in the past or developed inflammation around the heart within 3 weeks of receiving a COVID vaccine, discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccine with your prenatal care team before getting another one.
Is the COVID vaccine recommended for breastfeeding mothers?
Yes, if you didn’t receive your COVID vaccine during pregnancy, it’s still beneficial to get vaccinated. There’s no need to stop breastfeeding at any time after getting a COVID vaccine, either.
Frequently asked questions
If you develop COVID while you’re pregnant, be sure to contact your prenatal care team right away. They may want to prescribe you a medication, such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir), to help treat it. You should also follow standard COVID precautions, including staying at home unless traveling for medical care, staying away from people who are sick, and washing your hands frequently. Wearing a mask in crowded places can also decrease your chance of spreading the illness.
Yes, receiving a COVID vaccine during pregnancy can protect your baby for at least 6 months after birth. COVID vaccines aren’t FDA approved or recommended for infants less than 6 months old. The only way your baby can get protection from COVID at this age is from antibodies you pass on after vaccination or prior infection.
No, there is no evidence that mRNA from the COVID vaccine can transfer to a fetus. In one study, when mothers were vaccinated late in their pregnancy, scientists were unable to detect mRNA in the placenta, umbilical cord, or blood of the mother at the time of delivery. However, they did find evidence of COVID antibodies. The mRNA also doesn’t stick around for very long and it mainly stays in the area where you received your vaccination. This makes passing mRNA to your baby unlikely.
If you develop COVID while you’re pregnant, be sure to contact your prenatal care team right away. They may want to prescribe you a medication, such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir), to help treat it. You should also follow standard COVID precautions, including staying at home unless traveling for medical care, staying away from people who are sick, and washing your hands frequently. Wearing a mask in crowded places can also decrease your chance of spreading the illness.
Yes, receiving a COVID vaccine during pregnancy can protect your baby for at least 6 months after birth. COVID vaccines aren’t FDA approved or recommended for infants less than 6 months old. The only way your baby can get protection from COVID at this age is from antibodies you pass on after vaccination or prior infection.
No, there is no evidence that mRNA from the COVID vaccine can transfer to a fetus. In one study, when mothers were vaccinated late in their pregnancy, scientists were unable to detect mRNA in the placenta, umbilical cord, or blood of the mother at the time of delivery. However, they did find evidence of COVID antibodies. The mRNA also doesn’t stick around for very long and it mainly stays in the area where you received your vaccination. This makes passing mRNA to your baby unlikely.
The bottom line
COVID-19 vaccines are safe to receive during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Pregnant women are at higher risk for severe COVID infection compared to those who aren’t pregnant. COVID infection itself can also increase the chance of having complications during pregnancy.
It’s recommended to get vaccinated for COVID to prevent complications that can affect you and your baby. It doesn’t matter which vaccine you receive, and you can be vaccinated at any point in your pregnancy. You should reach out to your prenatal care team if you test positive for COVID or if you’re experiencing fever and/or prolonged side effects after receiving the vaccine.
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References
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