Vaccination plan for women relaunched and updated

2023-09-26 06:36:41

COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations started for the first time

Vienna (OTS) – A lot has changed in vaccination since the last edition of the vaccination plan for women. This is now taken into account in two new brochures published by the Austrian Society for Infections in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ESIDOG) and the Austrian Association of Vaccine Manufacturers (ÖVIH). The brochures are divided according to the needs of women at different stages of life, from before and during pregnancy to menopause. Recommendations on vaccination once morest COVID-19 and the vaccines and immunizations once morest RSV that are available for the first time were newly included.

Vaccinations for young women of childbearing age

„Young women usually rarely go to the family doctor and the topic of vaccinations is often not on their radar“, reports Univ. Prof. Dr. Herbert Kiss, MBA, President of ESIDOG and Professor of Feto-Maternal Medicine at MedUni Vienna. “This is where gynecologists come into play, who can also provide advice in these cases. As support and guidance, we published a special vaccination plan for women several years ago, which we have now updated to reflect the latest vaccination recommendations.“

For example, young women are advised to keep the combination vaccination once morest diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and poliomyelitis (polio) up to date and to catch up on further vaccinations if necessary. This is particularly true, for example, for the vaccination once morest human papilloma viruses (HPV), which is recommended up to the age of 30 and has recently been available free of charge up to the age of 21 as part of a national vaccination concept.

“There are also vaccinations that are particularly recommended for women who are planning to become pregnant,” explains Kiss. These are vaccinations once morest varicella (chickenpox), measles-mumps-rubella (free of charge) and also hepatitis B.

Vaccinations during pregnancy

Certain vaccinations are particularly important during pregnancy. “There is still a lot of need for clarification here,” emphasizes the ESIDOG President. For example, influenza infection during pregnancy can often have a very severe course, including severe pneumonia, which is why vaccination protection during the influenza season is strongly recommended. The situation is similar with COVID-19, according to the gynecologist. According to the Austrian vaccination plan and depending on the vaccination status, COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy should in any case be carried out with mRNA vaccines.

Indirect vaccinations for the unborn child

There is more and more data that vaccinations during pregnancy can also protect newborns from serious illnesses in the first few months. They are highlighted in the relevant ESIDOG brochures. “This is important because newborns cannot yet be vaccinated themselves“Kiss emphasizes.

For example, whooping cough has been making an inglorious comeback in recent years and is a serious illness for newborns. If the child is vaccinated during pregnancy, the child is protected following birth until it can be vaccinated itself.

Influenza can also lead to hospitalizations not only in the pregnant woman herself, but also in children in the first six months of life. However, if the mother is vaccinated in the last trimester of pregnancy, the antibodies are transferred to the unborn child and protect it until the regular influenza vaccination in the sixth month of life.

„What is new is the option of vaccinating once morest RSV during pregnancy“, explains Kiss. „This is a major advance because RSV is extremely common in infants and young children and in some cases can lead to serious respiratory illnesses including hospitalizations. Now, for the first time, we have the opportunity to protect newborns from this in the first months of life by vaccinating the mother between weeks 24 and 36 of pregnancy.“

„However, you should not stop vaccinating following pregnancy“, emphasizes Kiss. “It is still important to adhere to the general vaccination recommendations. We have clearly presented these in an overview table in the new brochures.“

Vaccinations during menopause

With increasing age, the immune system weakens – in women and men – which is why it is important, for example, to get vaccinated once morest herpes zoster (shingles) from the age of 50 or once morest pneumococci from the age of 60.

In the ESIDOG brochures, all relevant vaccinations for this age are included in the section on vaccinations for the period following menopause. The recommended intervals between booster vaccinations are also shorter in this phase of life and are clearly presented in the women’s vaccination plan.

Also new here is the vaccination once morest RSV, which is recommended from the age of 60. Similar to influenza, RSV can cause serious illness not only in small children, but also in older people. Now there is a protection option for the first time.

The brochures with all further information are now available at available online or at [e-mail] can be ordered.

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