Vaccines for pregnant women and at risk groups

Some vaccines are only available on the NHS for groups of people who need extra protection.

Pregnant women

During pregnancy, your immune system (the body's natural defence system) is naturally weakened to protect the pregnancy. This can mean you're less able to fight off infections. As the baby grows, you can't breathe as deeply, increasing the risk of infections such as pneumonia.

These changes can raise the risk from flu. Pregnant women are more likely to get flu complications than women who are not pregnant and are more likely to be admitted to hospital. Having the flu vaccine means you're less likely to get flu.

Whooping cough is a very serious infection, and young babies are most at risk. Most babies with whooping cough will be admitted to hospital.

When you have the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy, your body produces antibiotics to protect against whooping cough. These antibodies pass to your baby and this offers them some protection until she or he is old enough to have their whooping cough vaccination at eight weeks old.

Find out more about the flu vaccination in pregnancy here (opens in a new tab)

Find out more about the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy here (opens in a new tab).

Hepatitis B vaccination

If you are at high risk of getting hepatitis b and are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you will be advised to have the hepatitis b vaccine. It is not a live vaccine and therefore there is no evidence of any risk to you or your baby.

Find out more about the hepatitis b vaccination here (opens in a new tab).

For more information about vaccination when pregnant, please visit the NHS Wales Vaccinations in pregnancy information page here (opens in a new tab)

Extra vaccines for at-risk people

Some vaccines are only available on the NHS for people who need extra protection, such as people with long-term health conditions and healthcare workers.