When you are pregnant, you receive free vaccination againstwhooping cough, RSV and influenza.
The purpose of vaccination during pregnancy is to protect either your unborn baby, you as a pregnant woman – or both.
When you are pregnant, you receive free vaccination against:
Whooping cough (pertussis)
Vaccination is important for the health of both mother and baby.
When you are vaccinated against RSV and whooping cough during pregnancy, you help protect your baby against serious illness in the first months of life.
Vaccination against influenza protects you from becoming seriously ill in the later stages of pregnancy, when your breathing may be affected. At the same time, vaccination reduces the risk of preterm birth or low birth weight in the baby.
Vaccination also provides your baby protection against influenza in the first months after birth.
All vaccines can cause side effects, including vaccines against whooping cough, RSV and influenza. Pregnant women may experience the same side effects as others after vaccination.
Common side effects include soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache and muscle aches. Some people may also experience joint pain and a general feeling of being unwell. Side effects are usually mild and temporary.
Serious side effects, such as severe allergic reactions, are very rare. If you have previously had a severe allergic reaction after a vaccination or another type of injection , you should speak to your GP before being vaccinated.
Vaccination with the three vaccines during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of harm to the foetus or the newborn. This means that the vaccines are safe for your baby.
The following vaccinations are offered during pregnancy::
Whooping cough vaccination at week 25 of pregnancy with your GP, offered year-round.
RSV vaccination is at week 32 with your GP from May to January
Influenza vaccination in the second and third trimester from 1 October to 20 December, given atregional vaccination sites as part of the seasonal vaccination programme. You can book an appointment at vacciner.dk.
If you have a chronic disease or condition that puts you at increased risk of severe COVID-19, you are also offered vaccination against COVID-19 from 1 October to 20 December, regardless of whether you are pregnant.
The Danish Health Authority recommends that pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough, RSV and influenza with each new pregnancy, even if they have been vaccinated in a previous pregnancy.
Vaccinations during pregnancy
Read more about whooping cough vaccination
Here you can find the Danish Health Authority’s in-depth materials for healthcare professionals on the vaccination programme for pregnant women. You will also find information materials for pregnant women that can be printed and placed in the clinic waiting room or distributed during consultations.