A small number of vaccines are routinely recommended during pregnancy in India: tetanus toxoid (TT), Tdap, and the seasonal flu shot. All three are given as an injection in the arm, are considered safe in pregnancy, and work the same way — your body makes antibodies that cross the placenta and give your newborn some protection before their own vaccination schedule starts.
Tetanus toxoid (TT)
TT protects against tetanus, including neonatal tetanus from an unclean cord cut at birth. It's usually given starting after 12 weeks of pregnancy, as part of your routine antenatal schedule — your doctor will tell you exactly when based on whether you've had TT doses before (in a previous pregnancy or earlier in life) and how many you still need.
Tdap (whooping cough protection)
Tdap is the one most specifically timed: it's given at 27–36 weeks, the window recommended by the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI). Timing it in this window matters because it gives your body enough time before delivery to build antibodies and pass them to your baby — protection that matters most in the newborn's first weeks, before they're old enough for their own whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines.
Tdap isn't about protecting you from whooping cough as much as it is about arming your newborn with antibodies before their own vaccination schedule can.
Flu (influenza) vaccine
Unlike TT and Tdap, the flu shot isn't tied to a specific trimester — it can be given in any trimester during flu season, since the goal is simply to have protection in place while you're exposed to circulating flu. Like the others, the antibodies you build also pass to your baby.
Why all three matter together
Each vaccine is doing a version of the same job from a different angle — TT guards against a specific birth-related risk, Tdap times itself to the newborn window, and flu responds to the season — but the underlying idea is the same: a vaccine given to you in pregnancy is, in part, a vaccine for your baby before they're old enough to receive one themselves. All three are given intramuscularly (as an injection) and are considered safe and recommended in pregnancy.
This covers maternal vaccination only. Your baby's own vaccination schedule after birth is a separate conversation to have with your paediatrician.
Frequently asked
What week of pregnancy is Tdap given?
Tdap is recommended at 27–36 weeks of pregnancy. This window, per FOGSI guidance, gives your body enough time to build and pass antibodies to your baby before delivery.
Can I get the flu shot at any point in pregnancy?
Yes — the flu vaccine isn't restricted to a particular trimester. It can be given in any trimester during flu season, since it works by protecting you (and, through placental antibody transfer, your baby) while flu is circulating.
Do I need TT if I've already had tetanus shots before this pregnancy?
Your doctor will check your vaccination history — if you've already completed a tetanus series, you may need fewer doses this pregnancy than someone starting from scratch. This is decided case by case at your antenatal visits.
Are these vaccines safe for the baby?
Yes, TT, Tdap and the flu vaccine are all considered safe in pregnancy and are routinely recommended rather than avoided — the antibodies they generate are protective, not harmful, to your developing baby.
Is this the same as my baby's own vaccination schedule after birth?
No. This is the maternal schedule — vaccines given to you during pregnancy. Your baby will have their own separate vaccination schedule after birth, which your paediatrician will guide you through.