During your pregnancy, you may be faced with the choice whether or not to have a particular vaccination. The choice is always up to you. Below you will find background information which can help you to make a choice. We will tell you about the whooping cough vaccination, flu vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, we provide information about the RSV shot that babies receive after birth.
The Whooping Cough (Pertussis) vaccine
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease and is caused by a bacterium. The bacteria produces a toxin, causing coughing fits that can last for months. Read more about whooping cough here. During pregnancy, it is already possible for pregnant women to get their own whooping cough vaccination. By doing so, you protect yourself and your newborn baby. Whooping cough is especially dangerous for babies. Due to the frequent coughing, babies become exhausted, stop drinking and may lack oxygen. More than half of babies with whooping cough are hospitalised. By vaccinating as early as pregnancy, far fewer children die of whooping cough.
So with the whooping cough vaccination, you reduce your baby’s chances of contracting whooping cough in the first 3 months after birth and all the associated risks. It is important to read the information on this carefully. It will help you make an informed choice. You can read all the relevant information at www.22wekenprik.nl. The vaccination is part of the national vaccination programme and is therefore free of charge.
Click here for information to make an appointment.
Safety and side effects
The whooping cough vaccination has been found to be safe in pregnancy. As with any vaccination, you may experience side effects. Examples include drowsiness, headache and reactions at the spot where you were pricked (redness, thick or painful arm). These side effects are usually quite mild and go away by themselves. Serious side effects, such as a severe allergic reaction, are very rare.
It is possible to get the vaccines during an introduction appointment with the JGZ. During this appointment you can also discuss what you can expect from them after your child is born. Do you also want to get the influenze vaccination? Both jabs may be administered at the same time. You can make an appointment via this phone number: 030-286 33 00, option 2 or click here for information to make an appointment.
Do you have questions about the whooping cough vaccine, or are you finding it difficult to make a decision? Do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to think with you so that you can make a choice that suits you.
RSV shot
Starting in autumn 2025, the RSV shot will be included in the National Immunization Program. This shot protects against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Young children who become infected with RSV can experience severe breathing difficulties. In some cases, hospitalization is required.
Babies will be offered the RSV shot as winter approaches or during winter. The risk of RSV infection is highest in winter. After receiving the shot, a baby is protected against RSV for 6 months. While a child can still get RSV, the chance of becoming seriously ill or needing hospitalization is much lower.
Procedure
Babies born from October through March receive the shot within 2 weeks after birth.
Babies born from April 1st through September 2025 receive the shot in September or October.
The RSV shot is administered in the upper thigh. Babies receive the shot only once, and only during their first year of life. This is when they are most vulnerable and have the highest risk of hospitalization due to RSV.
In other European countries, babies are already receiving the RSV shot. In those countries, the number of hospital admissions for babies due to RSV has dropped by 80%.
Side effects
The RSV shot is an injection with antibodies. This is called immunization and works differently from vaccination. With vaccination, the body has to produce its own antibodies, which can sometimes cause side effects. With an antibody shot, the body does not need to produce its own antibodies, so side effects are very rare.
You can read more about the RSV shot on this website.
RSV-vaccination for pregnant women
There is also the option to get vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy. The shot for babies and the vaccination during pregnancy have never been directly compared in scientific studies. However, research shows that vaccination during pregnancy provides the baby with slightly less protection than the antibody shot given directly to the baby. This is one of the reasons why the Health Council recommends offering all babies a free RSV shot, rather than vaccinating all pregnant women.
If you would still like to be vaccinated during pregnancy, contact your general practitioner or the public health service (GGD). The cost of the vaccine is your own responsibility. The vaccine is called Abrysvo and costs approximately 200 euros, excluding any consultation fees. The vaccine is safe and approved. You can read more about RSV vaccination during pregnancy on this website. (only Dutch)
The Flu vaccination
During the autumn and winter seasons, it is worth it to think about getting a flu vaccination. Being pregnant can affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to diseases such as the flu. Moreover, pregnant women can get quite sick from the flu, so it is important to avoid infection with it. A flu shot can provide good protection against severe effects of the flu. This vaccination is advised annually to people with diseases or reduced resistance. However, pregnant women are also eligible for the flu shot.
The flu shot is a safe and effective way to protect yourself during pregnancy. The flu shot causes your body to produce antibodies against the flu virus, protecting you. Besides protection for yourself, the flu shot also offers protection for your baby. In fact, antibodies can also reach your baby via the placenta, so your baby is well protected in the first months after birth.
It is important to read the information about the flu shot carefully. It will help you make a balanced choice. You can read all the relevant information on this page.
Do you also want to get the whooping cough vaccination? Both shots may be administered at the same time. Click here for information to make an appointment.
Please note: if you have a medical indication and were invited for the flu vaccination via your GP in previous years, you will also be notified via your GP this year. You can then simply make an appointment for the flu vaccination via your GP. The appointment can then take place before or after 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Safety and side effects
In general, side effects of the flu shot are mild and similar to those of people who are not pregnant. You may experience some pain or swelling at the injection spot, and sometimes feel a little tired. These side effects are usually short-term and do not harm you or your baby. The flu shot is safe during pregnancy and a lot of research has been done on this. There is no increased risk of adverse effects such as miscarriage or birth defects if you get the flu shot.
Have you fallen ill anyway?
Have you fallen ill despite all the precautions? Fortunately, with the flu shot, the infection often runs mildly and there is no reason to panic. Give your body a rest and drink plenty of water. As with non-pregnants, it is a matter of time to feel better. If you have a fever or a high temperature, you should take paracetamol to suppress it. Is your temperature higher than 38.5? Then call the midwife. If the symptoms don’t go away by themselves, also call the midwife or your GP. Do you have questions about the flu shot, or are you finding it difficult to make a decision? Do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to think along with you so that you can make a choice that suits you.
Corona vaccination
Pregnant women no longer belong to the risk group by default since the Health Council’s recommendation in March 2024.
Pregnant women who do belong to the risk group for medical reasons can make their own appointment at the GGD through Planjeprik.nl.