Basics of Vaccines and Immunity

• Vaccine Basics
• Vaccine development and approval
• Types of immunity
• How do vaccines work?
• What are possible side effects from vaccines?
• General Best Practices for Immunization

Immunization Recommendations

• Vaccines By Disease
• Recommended Vaccines by Age

Pediatric Immunizations

• Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age
• Reasons to Vaccinate for the Pediatric Population

Adult Immunizations

• Adult Immunization Schedule by Age
• Adult Immunization Standards
• Reasons to Vaccinate for the Adult Population

Travel Vaccines

• Travel Vaccines
• CDC Yellow Book: Travel Vaccine Summary Table

Vaccines During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

• Guidelines for Vaccinating Pregnant Persons
• Why Maternal Vaccines Are Important
• Pregnancy and Vaccination
• Vaccine Safety in Pregnancy
• FDA Pregnancy Categories
• Vaccine Recommendations Before, During, and After Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding and Vaccination
• Immunization and Pregnancy Research

Information about Inadvertent Vaccination

Sometimes a woman is vaccinated inadvertently while she is pregnant. In these circumstances, we encourage pregnant women to contact the Worldwide DHA Immunization Healthcare Support Center. The IHD Clinical Services can help address questions and provide information, including current research findings and recommendations. IHD Clinical Services staff can also provide contact information for Pregnancy Registries available through vaccine manufacturers.

If an active duty pregnant woman is vaccinated with smallpox vaccine, she should contact the DOD Pregnancy Registry at:

DOD Center for Deployment Health Research
National Smallpox Vaccine in Pregnancy Registry
619-553-9255 DSN 553-9255 Email

IHD also offers vaccine-related clinical consultation at 877-GETVACC (438-8222) (DSN 761-4245)

Articles of Interest

• MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2009 Mar-Apr;34(2):98-105. Administration of vaccinations in pregnancy and postpartum. Bruhn K, Tillett J. Aurora UW Midwifery and Wellness Center, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee, USA. Comment in: MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2009 Jul-Aug;34(4):255; author reply 255.
• Ryan MA, Gumbs GR, Conlin AM, Sevick CJ, et al. Evaluation of preterm births and birth defects in liveborne infants of US military women who received smallpox vaccine. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2009;82(7):533-9.
• Ryan MA, Seward JF; Smallpox Vaccine in Pregnancy Registry Team. Pregnancy, birth, and infant health outcomes from the National Smallpox Vaccine in Pregnancy Registry, 2003-2006. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;46 Suppl 3:S221-6.
• Napolitano PG, Ryan MA, Grabenstein JD. Pregnancy discovered after smallpox vaccination: Is vaccinia immune globulin appropriate? Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;191(6):1863-7.