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. 2020 Apr 27;40(6):844–857. doi: 10.1038/s41372-020-0668-3

Table 2.

For the clinician: immunizing pregnant women – managing the antenatal care visit [5658].

Situation Action
Background

• Vaccine coverage rates continue to be less than optimal for pregnant women.

• Provider recommendation is one of the strongest predictors of vaccine uptake in pregnant women.

Assessment

• Evaluate the vaccination status of pregnant patients, including missing or incomplete childhood vaccinations and other special conditions that may warrant additional vaccinations.

• Only written records should be accepted as evidence of previous vaccination.

Counsel and administer

• Provide information on why the vaccine is needed, highlighting safety, efficacy, and benefits to mom and infant.

• Acknowledge and address questions and concerns.

• Remind patient of the risks of nonvaccination.

• Make a strong recommendation for vaccination.

• Administer required vaccines.

Adverse event reporting

• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and Vaccine Safety Datalink: for broad populations.

• Vaccines and Medications in Pregnancy Surveillance System: for pregnant populations.

• Vaccine-specific registries (e.g., for varicella, human papillomavirus, and herpes zoster vaccines) focused on inadvertent immunization with live vaccines during pregnancy.