Vaccine protects mother and child
The vaccines recommended during pregnancy have been shown to prevent serious illness for both the mother and child, without increasing the risk of complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, or harm to the foetus.
During vaccination, the mother develops antibodies that are then transferred to the baby in the womb. As a result, the child is born with protective antibodies. In this way, vaccines protect both the mother during pregnancy and the child after birth from serious illnesses.
Pertussis vaccine for pregnant women
The pertussis vaccine is primarily recommended for pregnant women to protect the newborn from severe pertussis disease. Infants are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from pertussis compared to older children and adults, and they are more likely to require hospitalization.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) recommends the pertussis vaccine for:
- Pregnant women, regardless of their last vaccination, and in each pregnancy
The vaccine is offered at week 24 but can also be administered later in the pregnancy.
Vaccination during pregnancy protects your baby against pertussis from birth until the child receives the first dose of vaccine at 3 months of age. Pregnant women who receive the pertussis vaccine create antibodies against pertussis that are transferred to the foetus via the placenta. The child is born with these protective antibodies, which prevent severe pertussis until the first vaccine dose is given.
The vaccine is administered as one dose during pregnancy. The vaccine offered is a combination vaccine that also protects against diphtheria and tetanus.
Norwegian pregnant women have been offered free pertussis vaccinations since 2024, while other countries have been offering pertussis vaccinations to pregnant women since 2010. Vaccinating pregnant women against pertussis has not shown adverse pregnancy outcomes for either the mother or the child.
More about the pertussis vaccine (in Norwegian) (fhi.no)
More about the introduction of pertussis vaccine for pregnant women (in Norwegian) (fhi.no)
Influenza vaccine for pregnant women
Influenza can cause serious illness in both the mother and child. Pregnant women from the second trimester, or those who have recently given birth, are at higher risk for complications and serious illness compared to other non-pregnant women of the same age. This may be due to changes in the immune system and increased strain on the heart and lungs as the foetus grows.
If you become seriously ill with influenza, this poses a risk to the baby in the womb. If you have other risk factors, such as multiple pregnancies or underlying medical conditions, the risk increases further. This applies throughout the entire pregnancy.
Infants are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from influenza compared to older children and adults and are more likely to require hospitalization.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) recommends the influenza vaccine for:
- Pregnant women in the second or third trimester during the influenza season.
- Pregnant women in the first trimester with additional risk factors.
- Pregnant women in the first trimester belonging to one of the other target groups for vaccination (healthcare personnel, close contacts, pig farmers).
The influenza season is usually between November and March. To get the best possible protection, you should be vaccinated at the start of the season when the vaccine becomes available in the fall; however, vaccination is beneficial as long as influenza is circulating.
The influenza vaccine is administered as one dose during pregnancy. It contains non-live parts of the influenza virus and therefore cannot cause influenza illness.
More about the influenza vaccine.
RSV vaccine for pregnant women
The RSV vaccine is primarily recommended for pregnant women to protect the newborn from severe illness. RSV can cause breathing difficulties in young children, and 1 to 2 percent of all children under one year of age are hospitalized due to RSV infection.
The Norwegian Institute Public Health (FHI) recommends protecting infants against RSV either through vaccination of pregnant women or through a long-acting antibody given to the child after birth. The long-acting antibody is currently not available in Norway, so the only option is to vaccinate the mother during pregnancy.
FHI recommends the RSV vaccine for:
- Pregnant women from week 24
There should be at least two weeks between the pertussis vaccine, which is given at the pregnancy check-up in week 24, and the RSV vaccine.
The vaccine is not part of publicly funded vaccination programs, and you must pay for the vaccine yourself. It requires a prescription from a doctor. One vaccine dose during pregnancy is sufficient.
General information on vaccine side effects
Most vaccines can cause:
- Tenderness, redness, and swelling at the injection site
- Fever, mild malaise, and muscle aches
Serious side effects and allergic reactions are very rare.
The side effects are short-lived and typically resolve within one to two days. Each vaccine may have slightly different known side effects, which are specified in the package insert.
There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines recommended for pregnant women affect women's fertility or the course of the pregnancy, neither for the mother nor the baby in the womb.
Can you take multiple vaccines at once?
If you require multiple vaccines, it may be convenient to receive them simultaneously. Consult your doctor or midwife regarding which recommended vaccines for pregnant women can be administered concurrently.
There should be a two-week interval between the RSV vaccine and the pertussis vaccine for pregnant women, but the influenza vaccine can be given alongside other vaccines.
Is vaccination against COVID-19 still recommended?
For pregnant women who are not part of a risk group, the risk of severe COVID-19 illness is now very low. Most pregnant women who contract COVID-19 experience few or no symptoms and give birth to healthy children. It is also rare for infants to become seriously ill from COVID-19. As of fall 2025, healthy pregnant women are no longer recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Pregnant women who belong to a risk group should still follow FHI's recommendations. They can receive the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the entire pregnancy.
More about COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women (in Norwegian) (fhi.no)