OB-GYN group releases independent vaccine guidance for pregnant women
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists published its own immunization schedule for pregnant and postpartum women, differing from recent CDC changes.
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A prominent OB-GYN group announced its first-ever independent vaccine recommendations Wednesday, offering guidance that differs from updated U. S. government advice.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists released an immunization schedule specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, aligning with prior CDC recommendations before changes made under the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Earlier this year, ACOG withdrew from a CDC advisory committee on vaccines because of those changes.
Dr. Christopher Zahn, the group's chief of clinical practice, said the decision to formally release its own schedule provides clear evidence-based guidance and addresses growing vaccine misinformation. The new schedule has been endorsed by 13 other professional and medical societies.
Four immunizations are routinely recommended during pregnancy: the flu vaccine (any trimester), the COVID-19 shot (any trimester), a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis shot (preferably between 27 and 36 weeks), and a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine (between 32 and 36 weeks in first pregnancies, or September through January in most U.
S. areas). Other vaccines—pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis A and B—may be needed for women with certain risk factors.
Three vaccines are recommended before pregnancy or after birth: human papillomavirus, measles-mumps-rubella, and chickenpox. The biggest difference from CDC guidance involves the COVID-19 vaccine, which the CDC no longer recommends for healthy pregnant women and children.