It’s that time of year again, when the holidays invite family gatherings, and colder, shorter days make us long for sunny destinations. Yes, the winter travel season is upon us! Remember winters past when COVID-19 wasn’t around and we’d never heard of Zika? When we didn’t give much thought to health concerns related to hopping on a plane or going to busy holiday venues? Things are different now. If you’re pregnant, you might pause before booking airline tickets or RSVPing “yes” to that extended family reunion. Take a moment to consider the possible risks associated with your plans, and how you might reduce them (by taking precautions) or eliminate them (by making alternate plans instead). Here are a few things to think about:

COVID-19:

Try as we might, we can’t escape it or wish it away. We are, in fact, still in the middle of a pandemic, with new variants appearing and cases still rising and falling unpredictably in most places. Traveling on public transportation (such as airplanes, ships, trains, subways, taxis, and ride shares) can make getting and spreading COVID-19 more likely. So can being in crowded indoor spaces, especially if not everyone in those spaces is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and/or wearing a mask. Having COVID-19 in pregnancy can increase pregnancy risks such as stillbirth and preterm delivery. So, how can you eliminate or reduce your chance of exposure to the virus?

• Avoid public transportation. If you must travel, using your own vehicle with members of your own household is the safest bet. Using drive-thrus or packing your own food to stop and eat along the way is safer than eating in crowded restaurants full of other holiday travelers.
• If you must travel on a plane or use other public transportation, wear a well-fitting mask the whole time (this is required), stay at least 6 feet away from other travelers when possible, and wash your hands/use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently. Most importantly, make sure you’re fully vaccinated before you travel, including getting a booster dose when you’re eligible.
• Did I mention making sure you’re FULLY VACCINATED before travel? It’s the single best way to reduce the chance of getting very sick if you’re exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Pregnancy and being very sick don’t go well together, so this one is really, really important, whether you’re traveling or not. MotherToBaby has helpful resources on the COVID-19 vaccines and booster shot, and you can contact us to talk through any questions or concerns you may have about getting the vaccine.
• Even if you’re fully vaccinated, you might still consider wearing a mask indoors during holiday gatherings (and elsewhere), especially if you’re getting together with people from different households coming from different places. If everyone else at the gathering also wears a mask indoors, even better.  
• Find more tips and information about safer holiday celebrations and travel in the time of COVID at this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/celebrations.html.

Influenza (the Flu):

Flu season carries its own risks for people who are pregnant. Like COVID-19, having the flu during pregnancy increases the chance of being very sick compared to people who aren’t pregnant. Many of the same precautions that apply to COVID-19 apply to the flu as well:

• Get the flu shot. Like the COVID-19 vaccine, the flu shot can be given at any time during pregnancy, and can even be given at the same time as a COVID vaccine or booster. The sooner you’re vaccinated, the sooner you and your pregnancy will have good protection against becoming very sick from the flu. And (bonus!) getting vaccinated in pregnancy may pass some protective antibodies to your developing baby.
• Avoiding public transportation and crowded indoor spaces will also reduce your chance of exposure to the flu virus. Washing your hands frequently/using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also an excellent flu prevention technique.

Zika:

Yes, Zika is still around. There are no known “outbreaks” of Zika anywhere in the world at this time, but there is ongoing, low-level, sporadic transmission in some places. Having Zika during pregnancy increases the chance of serious and lifelong effects for a developing baby. There is no vaccine against the Zika virus.

• The safest course in pregnancy (or if you’re trying to conceive) is to avoid travel to places with a chance of exposure. Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible now to know the exact risk of being exposed to Zika in any given country, but if you must travel, you can use the CDC’s Zika map to help you plan.
• If you travel,use insect repellent and take other precautions to help avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing long sleeves and pants. If your partner travels with you, take steps to avoid sexual transmission of Zika. If you’re planning a pregnancy, follow the recommended wait times (2 months for women, 3 months for men) before trying to conceive.

Other infections:

If you’re considering international travel, there may be other infections to consider, such as malaria and foodborne illnesses. You might also need other vaccines, so be sure to review the current vaccine recommendations for your destination. Some vaccines can be given during pregnancy, but it’s a good idea to check with your healthcare provider or contact MotherToBaby to discuss the risks and benefits of specific vaccines as you’re deciding about travel. 

Medical concerns:

Other travel considerations include the increased chance of blood clots during travel if you’re pregnant, and where you will receive medical care in case of unexpected preterm labor or another medical emergency. Before any travel, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about any additional considerations that are specific to you and your pregnancy.

Given all these considerations, if you’re pregnant you might decide this year is a good one to enjoy low-key holidays at home and save the travel for another time. However you decide to spend the season, we hope it’s safe, healthy, and happy!

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Alexandra Yonts, MD, FAAP joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to talk about the symptoms of long COVID and the risks of it associated in pregnancy and children. Resources for families and healthcare providers mentioned by Dr. Yonts during the episode include:

https://www.longcovidkids.org/

https://www.survivorcorps.com/advocacy

MotherToBaby provides an update as of 4/8/20 on COVID-19 (coronavirus) exposure in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Maternal anxiety, depression, domestic violence, keeping prenatal appointments…New questions are, once again, answered surrounding the effects the novel coronavirus has had on pregnant and breastfeeding women with the help of Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, a teratogen information specialist (an expert in exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding) from MotherToBaby’s North Carolina affiliate and Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, a teratogen information specialist from MotherToBaby’ California affiliate.

By Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, MotherToBaby California and Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, MotherToBaby North Carolina

With schools back in full swing, fall activities underway, and children gathered once again in classrooms and other indoor settings, parents—including those who are pregnant—have renewed questions about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines. MotherToBaby is seeing an increase in questions from pregnant women who want to protect themselves and their families as much as possible. Although more and more women are confident about getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in pregnancy, we continue to get questions about vaccine safety, as well as inquiries about eligibility for the updated boosters. MotherToBaby has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to give you the latest about vaccination for those who are pregnant and for children.

What is the current impact of COVID-19 and pregnancy? 

At this point in the pandemic, we know the importance of taking steps to help prevent a COVID-19 infection in pregnancy. Research has shown that women who are pregnant have a higher chance of becoming very sick, being admitted to intensive care, and needing to be put on a ventilator if they get COVID-19. Some studies have reported a slightly higher chance of death. Researchers have also found increased chances of adverse effects on the pregnancy itself, including preterm delivery, stillbirth, and complications such as preeclampsia.

The good news is, a recent study found that pregnant women who received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine had lower rates of stillbirth than those who were unvaccinated. Furthermore, those who also received a booster had lower rates of infection, hospitalization, and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19 than those who received only the two primary doses. This finding is reassuring that staying up to date on the vaccines provides good protection in pregnancy in case of a breakthrough infection.

Why should women who are pregnant and those trying to expand their families consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19?

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying from COVID-19. This is true for everyone, but especially for those who are pregnant and others who are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19. Getting vaccinated during pregnancy has the added benefit of passing antibodies to the developing baby, which has been shown to lower the baby’s chances of infection or hospitalization with COVID-19 during the first few months of life.

For those planning a pregnancy, the preconception period is a great time to become up to date on recommended immunizations, including COVID-19 vaccines. This helps ensure that future pregnancies will start out as protected as possible from COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable illnesses. CDC has helpful information here about vaccines before pregnancy: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/vacc-before.html.

What are the long-term effects on the baby when a person gets a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy?

It will take time to follow the children of women who were vaccinated in pregnancy to be able to answer this question with data. However, based on what is known about how these and other vaccines work, getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy is not expected to cause long-term problems for the child. In fact, a pregnancy that stays up to date on the vaccines is more protected and less likely to have complications from COVID-19 that could affect a child’s future growth and development, such as preterm delivery. In addition, studies have demonstrated antibody protection for the infant following vaccination during pregnancy. And, of course, vaccination during pregnancy will continue to protect the parent after delivery while they are caring for their newborn.

Should women who are pregnant get an updated booster?

It is common for vaccines to be updated over time to give better protection against new variants spreading in the community, just as the flu shot is updated every year to provide the best protection against current strains of influenza. The updated COVID-19 booster, which gives added protection against the Omicron variant, is also referred to as bivalent. Women who are pregnant should receive this latest booster for the most up-to-date protection against COVID-19. CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly recommend that pregnant women stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses.

Like most other people, women who are pregnant are eligible for the updated booster if they have completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series and it has been at least two months since their last dose (primary or booster). The updated booster can be given in any trimester of pregnancy. Anyone who has had a recent COVID-19 infection can consider delaying the booster by up to 3 months from the time their symptoms started or they tested positive.

Are COVID-19 vaccinations recommended for breastfeeding?

Studies have found that the components of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to enter the breast milk, and no serious side effects have been reported for the breastfed baby. In rare cases, there may be a temporary reduction in milk supply when a person gets an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, but reassuringly, supply is expected to return to normal within a day or two. In more good news, antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19 have been found in the breast milk of women who have been vaccinated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines while breastfeeding. This is a promising finding, although more research is needed to know how much and for how long these antibodies might protect a breastfeeding child against the virus.

CDC, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that women who are breastfeeding stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses.

What resources help pregnant women make informed decisions about protecting themselves and their families against COVID-19?

For questions about COVID-19 vaccines and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, talk with your healthcare provider or contact a MotherToBaby specialist. You can find MotherToBaby resources on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines at https://mothertobaby.org/pregnancy-breastfeeding-exposures/covid-19/.

For guidance surrounding kids, we’ll turn to Leandris C. Liburd, PhD, MPH, the Associate Director for Minority Health and Health Equity for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP from the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss respiratory virus season and what pregnant people can do to help protect their babies against RSV, COVID-19, Seasonal Influenza (flu) and whooping cough (pertussis).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Association of Immunization Managers:

Immunizationmanagers.org

BOOSTRIX Tdap Vaccine – MotherToBaby Pregnancy Study

Ep. 78 Transcript

  You’re listening to the Mother 2 Baby podcast, medications and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Ask the experts with your host, genetic counselor and mama for Chris Stallman.

This episode contains evidence-based information that’s current as of the day recorded and may change as more data becomes available. To get the very latest information about this topic or other topics in pregnancy and breastfeeding, Please contact a mother to baby specialist at 866 626 6847, by text at 855 999 3525, or through our website at mothertobaby.org.

Welcome to another episode of the MotherToBaby podcast. My name is Chris Stallman, and I’m a genetic counselor, a mom of four, and a teratogen information specialist. So what that means is that I talk to people, so patients, family members, healthcare providers, and the general public about exposures that can happen before pregnancy, during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or in cases of adoption.

And an exposure can be anything. So it could be a chemical at your job. It could be a medication that you take, or it could be a vaccine. Our guest today is here to talk with us about respiratory virus season and vaccines. Dr. Michelle Fiscus is a board-certified pediatrician and chief medical officer at the Association of Immunization Managers, or AIM, which helps to support the CDC funded immunization programs across the country.

Dr. Fiscus, welcome to the show. Great to be here. Thanks, Chris. So can you tell us a little bit about the AIM organization? Sure, we are a small but mighty 501c3 nonprofit that works nationally, as you said, to support the CDC funded immunization program. So every state in the United States has an immunization program, usually housed at their state department of health.

And then there are some cities, some major cities like Washington, D. C. or New York City or Philadelphia, Philadelphia. That have their own immunization programs within their states. And then we also support the immunization programs in the U. S. territories and freely associated states like Guam and Micronesia and the U.

S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. And so we help. Those program managers, um, make their jobs a little easier. They have a lot that they have to do to make sure that vaccines are available in their jurisdictions to make sure that, um, every person that’s, that’s there has the ability to get vaccinated and to make sure that the information that they’re getting about vaccines is correct.

Very, very critical. I feel like it had always been, but I think in the last few years, especially we we’ve learned collectively, you know how important that correct and timely information is so. Speaking of that, what are respiratory viruses and when is respiratory virus season? Respiratory viruses are, are those, um, illnesses that circulate in fall.

Um, sometimes they’re common colds, which can be caused by thousands of different kinds of viruses. But the ones that we really think about with respiratory season are seasonal influenza or the flu, um, something called respiratory syncytial virus, which may be a little less. We call that RSV because respiratory syncytial virus is really kind of hard to say.

And then, um, we also see, um, COVID 19, of course, SARS CoV 2, which is the virus that causes COVID 19, which really hasn’t settled into a season yet, but Because of the number of hospitalizations and sick people that we get from COVID 19, when you layer that on top of the fall flu cases and the fall RSV cases, it really starts to strain the U.

S. health system. Um, and so we’re going to lump COVID 19 into this too for the purpose of this discussion. Okay. Why is vaccination important? Well, vaccination is really our best, uh, defense against any of these viruses. Viruses are super smart. They’re really good at mixing up their, their genetics and finding ways to get around.

Um, defenses that we have to fight them off and some of those viruses, like for instance, influenza or SARS CoV 2 that causes COVID, they change constantly from season to season and sometimes even within seasons. And so our bodies may have experienced those viruses before and they created this great immune protection against those viruses.

But then that virus goes out and puts on like a big nose and glasses and a mustache and it comes back and it looks completely different from the virus that your body saw the last time. And so these are vaccines that we really have to get over and over again. We’re talking about influenza or COVID 19 because those viruses keep trying to outsmart the defenses that we have in place to keep us from getting super sick.

So when you’re pregnant, You, um, you’re a little bit, what we call immunosuppressed. You’re, you’re, it’s a little easier for you to get sick. You’re a little run down. Sometimes you’re a little anemic because of pregnancy. And it’s easier for those viruses to get in and cause problems that make pregnant people super sick.

And sometimes put them at, at much higher risk of being hospitalized or even dying from infections that maybe wouldn’t be as serious had they not been pregnant. Okay. Absolutely. And what about risks to the newborn for things like RSV or whooping cough and pertussis? Well, those little babies come out pretty defenseless, too.

They get some antibodies from their mom from either transfer across the placenta. So if you get vaccinated with, say, a vaccine that protects against pertussis or whooping cough while you’re pregnant, then that antibody can pass to your baby. Because when the baby comes out, they’re not old enough. get vaccinated.

So we really rely on those antibodies that mom can give to protect and we all want to protect our babies the best possible way. So, um, so being vaccinated while you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, these are all things that help protect the baby and help develop their immune system so that they can fight off a virus if they come into contact with it.

The other thing that we can do is, Make sure that if we’re vaccinated, we’re not bringing those viruses and those bacterial illnesses like pertussis into our house where then we’re face to face with our babies and putting them at higher risk of getting them super sick. Those little babies, um, have to work really hard if they get a respiratory virus.

They’ve got little tiny lungs and not a lot of capacity. And so if we start to stress them, Um, then they have a really hard time eating. They have a hard time sleeping. They have a hard time growing. They might be super fussy. And sometimes we have to put them in the hospital just because they get dehydrated and need some oxygen to try to help, um, manage them until their bodies can fight off whatever illness we’re dealing with.

So the vaccine certainly, as you said, can protect babies. family members, but also the person who is pregnant or newly delivered or breastfeeding as well. Because as you say, you know, we are absolutely worried about those around us, but we also need that person who was pregnant or who is breastfeeding. We need them to be healthy too, not only for their own well being, but for, you know, taking care of themselves and the people around them.

That’s exactly right. And you know, when you get vaccinated, when you’re pregnant, you kind of get to double dip a little bit because that vaccine. against flu or, or COVID is helping you not get seriously ill from flu and COVID. But then you’re also giving those antibodies to your baby. So if they come into contact with it when they’re really young and before they can get vaccinated, then that’s also helping to protect them.

Remember, babies can’t be vaccinated against COVID until they’re six months old. So they have a really long window of exposure. exposure, where if we can get mom to give them some antibodies, they can really help protect them. And they also can’t get vaccinated against influenza until they’re six months old.

And then it has to be in the season when we’re actually vaccinated against influenza. So some babies might be closer to a year. Before they get their first flu vaccine and um, and you know, having moms help give them a good healthy start with that protection is really important in those early days. I didn’t even think of that, but I’m so glad that you mentioned it.

So my last two were both born in January. Um, and obviously we had to wait six months for these vaccinations and it, it did, you know, we’ve just waited until the next cold and flu season, you know, it was a bit more than six months for us and honestly, I never would have put that together. So I think that’s a great reminder that sure, six months is, is where it can start.

if you’re in that particular season for flu. I know you had mentioned that COVID doesn’t really have a season, but for flu, you know, there are some, some clear guidelines and they’re not available everywhere throughout the entire year. Right. And the same goes for RSV. We, we only, um, vaccinate pregnant people right now when it’s RSV season, when we’re, when we’re looking at having a baby during RSV season, which generally runs October to March or so, November to March.

Um, So, you know, if you’re pregnant and it’s April, you may not be able to get an RSV vaccine right now, and your baby may be born without the ability to protect them. So we do have kind of a safety net or a second chance with RSV, something called nircivumab, which needs an acronym. But yeah. But that is a, what’s called a passive antibody that we can give newborns that come into their first RSV season.

It’s not really a vaccine. The vaccine teaches your body how to make antibodies. This is actually giving the baby antibodies. Our to what the mom would give if the mom had been vaccinated, and we can give that one shot to a newborn baby who was born during our RSD season to help protect them. So if the mom didn’t have an opportunity to protect their baby because of these vaccines, the timing of their pregnancy in the RSD season, there is an opportunity to protect the baby directly when the baby’s born.

What vaccines are recommended during pregnancy that can protect against respiratory viruses? And is there a specific time in pregnancy where people should get them? Great question. So, for your time. Every person needs to get a flu vaccine and that can happen at any point in a pregnancy. So, um, if, you know, if you’re getting into October and you’re pregnant, that is a perfect time to get vaccinated against influenza.

You can even get vaccinated a little earlier in the season if you’re due to deliver your baby in like September or October. You might even be able to get vaccinated against influenza as early as August in some cases. So, if you If you’re pregnant right now, you should go get a flu vaccine. Um, I’m a pediatrician.

We like to say flu before boo. So we want to get everybody vaccinated against influenza before Halloween. Yeah, that’s awesome. That’s the ideal time. But if you miss that, you can get vaccinated against influenza anytime during the season. But, but really the idea is you want to get that vaccine in before we really start seeing the virus.

Thankfully right now in the U. S. influenza is still pretty quiet. CDC does a lot of careful watching to see what’s happening with these viruses and we’re not really seeing much in the way of flu. So you’ve got some time, but really ideally before the end of October. you want to try to get a flu vaccine.

You should also get what’s called a Tdap vaccine, which is not against a virus but protects your baby against whooping cough or pertussis. That’s a bacterial infection that babies can get when they’re very young. They themselves can’t start getting vaccinated against it until they’re two months old and even then that’s just the first of a series of shots.

So they have a period of time in their early months. where they’re vulnerable to whooping cough, and that’s a bacterial infection that can be fatal in newborn babies. And so, giving mom the Tdap vaccine helps to give those antibodies to the baby before they’re able to get vaccinated themselves, and helps to protect them.

From whooping cough, which is really, really important. And then, um, the RSV vaccine, if you’re pregnant, coming into RSV season. So, um, beginning now, September, October, until, um, January or so of this year. It was between 32 and 36 weeks gestation is when you should get your RSV vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus.

Again, that is mainly to protect the baby, although moms can get serious RSV illness as well. But really what we’re trying to do is protect that baby who was born during RSV season. So if you’re between 32 and 36 weeks of your pregnancy, that’s the window where we want to get you vaccinated against RSV to help the baby.

And then COVID vaccines can happen at any time. And so just recently in August, we had new updated COVID 19 vaccines approved. And if you are pregnant, you Or even if you’re not pregnant, if you have not had that new updated 24 25 COVID 19 vaccine, you really need to go get that. You can get it at any time during your pregnancy to help protect you from serious COVID disease, but also help to pass some of those antibodies to, to your baby, who again can’t get vaccinated until they’re six months old.

Um, a lot of people think, you know, well, I’ve had COVID, so I don’t need to worry about getting COVID vaccine. And the way I like to think about this is, you know, if you’ve got a kid and, um, let’s say they’re five years old and you go into the closet and get out last year’s winter coat and put it on your now six year old, it’s going to be way too small for them in most cases.

And that coat might give them a little bit of protection against the cold in the winter, but if it gets really bad, it is not going to be enough. And that’s kind of how I think about COVID vaccines. Last year’s COVID vaccine, yeah, might cover you a little bit, but the new viral variants that keep evolving and changing and putting on new disguises are looking a lot more like a blue flannel coat than last year’s pink puffy coat, and your immune system might not know what to look for.

So you really need to go get that updated vaccine, so if you have not had a COVID vaccine since September, you’re behind, and you really need to go get that updated one, especially if you’re pregnant. And are there other vaccines that might be recommended for some people during pregnancy? I’m going to give the very, um, scientific response of independent.

If, if you are someone who might be at high risk for something like Hepatitis B, um, it might be recommended that you get a Hepatitis B vaccine, again, to protect yourself and also to protect your baby from Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is one of those viruses that down the road can cause cancer. Um, liver cancer is what we see with hepatitis B.

So that’s one that we really want to prevent in everyone. Um, so you could get a recommendation for that if you’ve not had those vaccines. Hepatitis A is another one. If you’re someone who maybe has liver disease or is at high risk of having trouble from a hepatitis infection, it might be recommended that you get a hepatitis A vaccine.

And if you’re planning on traveling internationally while you’re pregnant, there may be certain travel vaccines that are recommended. So make sure you check with your doctor to make sure that if there are any travel vaccines that might be recommended that you’re getting those too far in advance of you going on those international trips.

So as you said, you know, it’s going to depend and I’m going to add a very mother to baby answer to that, which is. Also, something you’ve already mentioned, talk with your health care provider and they can let you know what vaccines are recommended for you. Absolutely. The best place to get information. Dr.

Fiscus, thank you so much for being on the show today. But before you go, what is the final thought you would like to leave the audience with? The one. The best thing that you can do this respiratory season to help protect you and your baby the best is to receive vaccines against RSV, COVID 19, and influenza, and also the Tdap vaccine to prevent whooping cough in your baby.

We all as moms want to do the absolute best thing we can do to protect our babies and these are the absolute best things that you can do to make sure that your baby gets off to a healthy start and to protect you for the rest of your pregnancy to make sure that you don’t suffer any serious consequences from any of these diseases that we can so easily prevent with a vaccine.

So true. Thank you again. Um, and in our show notes, we’ll put some information about the mother to baby vaccination fact sheets that we have. And of course, some information about AIM. Perfect. So you can find out more about AIM at immunizationmanagers. org. We do have a lot of resources there that might be helpful, but also look at places like March of Dimes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and healthychildren.

org, which is the American Academy of Pediatrics. parent facing website. All of those are great resources for factual information about the immunizations that you and your baby need. Excellent. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. Oh, you said the magic words. That means we would like to have you back for a future show.

Absolutely. Anytime. That would be wonderful. Thank you. And that’s going to do it for this episode of the Mother2Baby podcast. On the next episode, we’re going to be joined by a special guest from our partners at an organization called Vaccinate Your Family. She is currently pregnant and we’ll talk about some of the myths she’s been hearing among her circle of friends surrounding vaccination during pregnancy.

Don’t miss this myth busting episode up next. Be sure to hit that subscribe button. Subscribe button so that way you never miss a new episode and you can go back and listen or re listen to some of those older episodes as well. You can find us on iTunes, Spotify, Audible, or however you like to listen to podcasts.

And if you want to be on the podcast or if you have an idea for the show, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to email us at contactus at mothertobaby. org. And Mother 2 Baby is here to answer your questions about exposures before and during pregnancy while breastfeeding, or if you have questions about exposures and adoption, you can reach us by phone at 866 626 6847, by text at 855 999 3525, you can visit us on our website Mother to baby.

org. And there you can chat with an information specialist. You can look at our many blogs, information pages, our hundreds of fact sheets that are available free in English and in Spanish. And you can also listen to our podcast. Or find out how you can participate in our pregnancy studies. If you would like to support the mother to baby podcast, as well as all of the ways we get critical pregnancy and breastfeeding health information to you at home, we have a new way to do just that.

In Circle is our new monthly giving society that helps ensure we can continue to provide our services at no cost. Join the community today and encircle parents and babies in health. Members will be recognized on the podcast and website. Visit mothertobaby. org slash donate today. Until next time, remember, Mother 2 Baby is here for you.

Take care. Mother 2 Baby is a service of the nonprofit organization of Teratology Information Specialists and supported by the Health Resources and Service Administration of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It’s made possible through generous donations from To learn more about Mother2Baby, please visit mother2baby.org.