OB-GYN group makes vaccine recommendations for the first time - AP News

Lauren Ellenburg, a nurse, prepares a combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for a patient at Tiger Pediatrics in Easley, S.C., March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File) By  LAURA UNGAR Updated : , ,   Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share (function () { const counter = document.getElementById("scrollToComments"); const HEADER_OFFSET = 120; function findCommentsModule() { return document.querySelector('.vf3-comments, #vf-conversations, '); } function maybeShowCounter() { if (findCommentsModule()) { counter.style.display = "inline-flex"; } else { counter.style.display = "none"; } } // Show only when Viafoura is present maybeShowCounter(); // Watch DOM for late loads const observer = new MutationObserver(maybeShowCounter); observer.observe(document.documentElement, { childList: true, subtree: true }); // Scroll action counter.addEventListener("click", function () { const el = findCommentsModule(); if (!el) return; const top = el.getBoundingClientRect().top + window.scrollY - HEADER_OFFSET; window.scrollTo({ top, behavior: "smooth" }); }); })(); .thin-line-button { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; border: 1px solid #ccc; height: 30px; padding: 0 10px; cursor: pointer; border-radius: 5px; background: none; text-align: center; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; color: inherit; transition: none; /* Remove animation effect */ } .thin-line-button { color: #000; background: white; } /* Remove hover effect */ .thin-line-button:hover { border: 1px solid #ccc; } .comment-icon { width: 20px; height: 20px; min-width: 20px; min-height: 20px; flex: 0 0 20px; object-fit: contain; display: inline-block; } .Page-actions-commentCounter .embed-caption { display: none; } .vf-comments-count.vf-is-logged-in { margin-left: 4px; } A prominent OB-GYN group announced vaccine recommendations on Wednesday that differ from what the U.S. government advises. The immunization schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women. It aligns with prior recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before changes were made under the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Earlier this year, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists withdrew from a CDC advisory committee on vaccines because of those changes, which have spawned legal challenges. “So now for the first time, ACOG has made the decision to formally release its own immunization schedule to provide and communicate clear evidence-based guidance and to address the growing vaccine misinformation that is circulating,” said Dr. Christopher Zahn, the OB-GYN group’s chief of clinical practice. This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. The new schedule has been endorsed by 13 other professional and medical societies. Some other groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have also put out vaccine schedules this year that differ from the CDC’s. Here’s what you need to know about the OB-GYN group’s advice. Four immunizations are routinely recommended during pregnancy: — The flu vaccine, which can be taken any trimester, at any time of year, although it’s best to get it in early fall. — The COVID-19 shot, which can be taken during any trimester at any time of year, although it’s best to receive it as soon as possible during pregnancy. — A tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) shot, preferably as early as possible between 27 and 36 weeks. Autoimmune diseases can strike any part of the body, and mostly affect women. Here’s what to know   11 Calisthenics are making a comeback. Is body weight enough to get a good workout?   21 Gut microbiome tests are everywhere. Should you get one?   — A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy in your first pregnancy, during September through January in most parts of the U.S. If you had the RSV vaccine during a previous pregnancy, you do not need to get it again, the group says, but your baby should get an antibody shot after birth. Your baby can also get that shot instead of you receiving the maternal vaccine. Other vaccines –- pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis A and hepatitis B –- may be needed for women with certain risk factors. The group recommends talking with your doctor about them. Three others are recommended before pregnancy or after birth, protecting against human papillomavirus; measles, mumps and rubella; and chickenpox. The biggest difference involves the COVID-19 vaccine. Last May, Kennedy announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy pregnant women and children — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts. Spokespeople from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Yes. Several spoke at an event announcing the new guidelines. “Vaccine hesitancy is huge in this country right now,” said Carol Hayes of the American College of Nurse Midwives. “Patients come in all the time saying I’ve done my own research, and sadly, they’re doing research and they’re getting information that is not scientifically based.” Sarah Vaillancourt of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health said her organization’s members are seeing much the same. Some of the confusion is being fueled by social media, she said. In such a landscape, she said, it’s “really useful” for the OB-GYN group to provide accurate information for patients. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. LAURA UNGAR Ungar covers medicine and science on the AP’s Global Health and Science team. She has been a health journalist for more than two decades. twitter mailto window.vfQ = window.vfQ || ; // Tags that always block comments on ANY story, regardless of section. 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