SCF: 30-31, SECTOR-11, HUDA, URBAN ESTATE, Panipat, Haryana 132103 SCF: 30-31, SECTOR-11, HUDA, URBAN ESTATE, Panipat, Haryana 132103Vaccinations are a key way to prevent serious infections and protect your long-term health. If you are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant, or looking to reduce your risk of certain diseases, vaccines like HPV, Rubella, and Tetanus can help protect you and your family. Vaccination is an important component of preventive women’s health care. Some vaccines are especially important before pregnancy, while others are recommended during pregnancy.
Vaccinations are vital for the health of women because they:
The HPV vaccine is a safe and very effective shot that helps your body make antibodies that fight human papillomavirus. It is recommended for children, teens, and adults to provide lasting protection against viral strains that cause genital warts and several types of cancer. It protects against cervical cancer, genital warts, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and certain throat cancers. Preteens, adolescents, and young adults who were not vaccinated earlier should receive the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine is safe and heavily tested. It is made from a synthesized protein shell of the virus and is not a live vaccine, so it cannot cause an HPV infection or cancer. Common side effects are usually mild and may include soreness or redness at the injection site, mild fever, fatigue, or headache.
Rubella vaccine is a safe, live-attenuated preparation that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against the rubella virus. It is very effective, with a single dose giving more than 95% protection, and is almost always given as part of the combined MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) or MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella) vaccines. It protects against rubella (German measles). This is a mild viral illness with a mild fever and rash, which can be contagious. The main danger of rubella is the serious threat it poses to unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. If a pregnant woman gets rubella, she can miscarry, have a stillbirth, or have a baby with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). CRS causes a baby to have lifelong disabilities, such as deafness, cataracts, heart defects, and brain damage.
Yes, it is very safe. The rubella vaccine (MMR/MMRV) has a long history. It is a live vaccine and is contraindicated in pregnant women and severely immunocompromised patients. Side effects are generally mild and temporary and may include soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site. Common side effects are low-grade fever and mild rash starting 1 to 2 weeks after vaccination.
The tetanus vaccine is a shot that protects against tetanus (or “lockjaw”), a painful and sometimes deadly bacterial infection that causes severe muscle spasms and stiffness. The bacteria (Clostridium tetani) get into the body through open wounds, usually from dirty cuts, scrapes, or puncture wounds such as a rusty nail. The tetanus vaccine helps your immune system to make antibodies that neutralize the toxins made by the tetanus bacteria. All pregnancies should get a tetanus-containing vaccine (usually Tdap). It protects you and your newborn from serious infections such as tetanus and whooping cough.
Yes, the tetanus vaccine is very safe. It is made from inactivated (dead) toxins produced by the bacteria. The shot is safe for most people. You may have minor side effects that go away in a few days. You may have redness, swelling, or soreness where the shot was given. You may get mild muscle aches, tiredness, or a low-grade fever. Severe allergic reactions are very rare.
Side effects due to vaccination are typically not serious. They are a part of the body’s immune response. Common side effects of vaccination include:
Yes, you can get the HPV vaccine after you are sexually active. It works best before you have sex for the first time, but it can still protect you from some high-risk HPV types you have not been exposed to.
Yes, the Rubella vaccine is strongly recommended before pregnancy for women who are not immune, but you have to wait at least 28 days (four weeks) after the shot before trying to get pregnant.
No, you shouldn’t receive the rubella vaccine (often given as the MMR vaccine) during pregnancy. Because it is a live, attenuated vaccine, health authorities generally advise against it during pregnancy and recommend waiting at least 28 days (one month) to conceive after receiving the shot.
The tetanus vaccine (often combined with diphtheria and pertussis as Tdap, TT or TD Vac) is recommended during every pregnancy to protect both you and your newborn. It triggers your body to produce high levels of protective antibodies that cross the placenta and protect your baby from life-threatening neonatal tetanus and whooping cough in the first few months of life when they are most vulnerable.
If you’re not sure about your vaccination history, don’t fret. The doctor will take a history and may order blood tests to see if you are immune to certain infections, such as rubella. They can tell you if you need catch-up vaccinations or to repeat certain vaccines to make sure you are sufficiently protected, depending on your age, health status, plans for pregnancy, and risk factors. Get vaccinated without undue delay to help protect your long-term health and prevent vaccine-preventable diseases.
