Getting vaccinated during pregnancy can save mom and baby from life-threatening disease.  Both influenza and whooping cough can be fatal, and a newborn baby is most vulnerable during the first two months of life.

Vaccination rates among pregnant women are alarmingly low across the nation.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women receive a flu shot at any time during their pregnancy and receive a whopping cough vaccine, also known as Tdap, early in their third trimester (more information here). Not only does it provide protection for the pregnant mother, but also, through passive immunity, the newborn will be protected. However, the rates of vaccination for both are low among pregnant women in the US.