Pregnancy comes with scans, blood tests and appointments, so vaccinations can feel like one more thing to track. The NHS pregnancy vaccinations schedule is fairly simple: the main routine vaccines offered during pregnancy are whooping cough, seasonal flu and RSV. Each is timed to protect you, your baby, or both when the benefit is greatest.
The biggest recent change is RSV vaccination. The maternal RSV programme is now a year-round NHS offer, with pregnant women becoming eligible from 28 weeks. It now belongs alongside whooping cough and flu when planning antenatal vaccinations in the UK.
NHS pregnancy vaccinations schedule at a glance
Whooping cough vaccination can be given from 16 weeks and is usually offered around the mid-pregnancy scan at about 20 weeks. For the best transfer of protective antibodies to your baby, the NHS advises having it before 32 weeks where possible. If you miss that window, it can still be given later in pregnancy.
The flu jab in pregnancy is seasonal rather than tied to a trimester. If you are pregnant during the NHS flu vaccination period, you can have the inactivated flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. For the 2026 programme, pregnant women can receive the NHS flu vaccine from 1 September.
The RSV vaccine is offered from 28 weeks. Pregnant women remain eligible up to birth, although having it at 28 weeks or soon afterwards gives more time to develop antibodies and pass them to the baby before delivery.
Whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy
Whooping cough, or pertussis, can be particularly serious in very young babies because they are not old enough to have completed their own routine vaccinations. The whooping cough vaccine pregnancy programme raises the mother’s antibody levels so some protection crosses the placenta before birth.
You can receive the vaccine from 16 weeks, and it is commonly offered around the 20-week scan. Aim to have it by 32 weeks for the strongest passive protection for your baby. If you are already beyond 32 weeks, the vaccine should still be offered, although the baby may receive less transferred protection if it is given very close to delivery.
The vaccine is recommended in every pregnancy, even if you had it during a previous pregnancy. Your baby will still need the normal childhood vaccines beginning at around 8 weeks of age.
Flu jab in pregnancy
Pregnancy increases the risk of complications from flu, including serious respiratory illness and hospital admission. The flu jab pregnancy programme uses an inactivated vaccine, which does not contain live flu virus and cannot give you flu.
There is no need to wait for a particular trimester. If the seasonal flu programme is running, you can be vaccinated in the first, second or third trimester. Eligibility follows the current seasonal campaign rather than the number of weeks pregnant.
For example, someone who is 10 weeks pregnant in September 2026 does not need to wait until the 20-week scan. She can arrange the flu vaccine during the current campaign, then have whooping cough vaccination from 16 weeks and RSV vaccination from 28 weeks. This avoids delaying one vaccine while waiting for another appointment.
RSV vaccine for pregnant women
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common respiratory infection, but it can cause severe illness in young babies. The NHS maternal programme is designed to protect babies during the first months of life, when they can be most vulnerable.
If you are looking for information about the RSV vaccine pregnant women receive, the key timing is 28 weeks. The vaccine is offered from that point in every pregnancy, and the programme runs throughout the year rather than only in winter.
Having it at 28 weeks or within the following few weeks gives your body time to build antibodies and pass them through the placenta. You can still have the vaccine later, including close to delivery, but earlier vaccination from the eligible point gives more time for antibody transfer.
How the three vaccines fit around antenatal care
A practical way to remember antenatal vaccinations in the UK is to attach each one to a simple trigger: whooping cough from 16 weeks, flu when the seasonal campaign is available, and RSV from 28 weeks.
If you have not been offered a vaccine by the expected stage, ask your midwife, maternity team or GP practice rather than waiting for the next routine appointment. Services vary locally, and some maternity units provide vaccines directly while others arrange them through general practice or pharmacies.
Useful related guides to connect with this page include prenatal appointment schedule, NHS antenatal screening tests and newborn vaccination schedule. These topics help explain how vaccination fits into wider pregnancy and early-childhood care.
What if you miss the recommended timing?
Missing the ideal week does not automatically mean a vaccine is no longer worthwhile. Whooping cough vaccination can still be given after 32 weeks, and RSV vaccination remains available up to birth. Vaccination very late in pregnancy simply leaves less time for antibodies to pass to the baby before delivery.
Flu timing is driven by the seasonal NHS programme. If you miss an early appointment, you can still have the vaccine later in pregnancy while the programme is available. If you have a medical condition, previous vaccine reaction or another individual concern, ask your maternity team or GP for personalised advice.
Frequently asked questions
Which vaccines are routinely recommended during pregnancy in the UK?
The main routine NHS vaccines during pregnancy are whooping cough, seasonal flu and RSV. Other vaccines may be recommended in specific circumstances, such as travel or particular medical risks.
Can I have the whooping cough vaccine and flu jab during the same pregnancy?
Yes. Both are recommended when you are eligible. The NHS says the whooping cough vaccine can be given at the same time as the flu vaccine, but you should not delay either vaccine simply to combine appointments.
When should I have the RSV vaccine in pregnancy?
You become eligible at 28 weeks. It is best to have the RSV vaccine at around 28 weeks or soon afterwards so there is time to build antibodies and pass them to your baby before birth.
Do I need pregnancy vaccinations again if I had them in a previous pregnancy?
Yes. Whooping cough and RSV vaccines are offered in every pregnancy to help protect the new baby. The flu vaccine is also recommended in each relevant flu season because the vaccine is updated and protection reduces over time.
Planning your vaccinations during pregnancy
The NHS pregnancy vaccinations schedule is based on timing rather than one fixed appointment. Whooping cough is offered from 16 weeks, flu is available during the seasonal campaign at any stage of pregnancy, and RSV is offered from 28 weeks. Keeping those three timings in mind makes the schedule much easier to follow.
If an expected vaccine has not appeared in your maternity plan, raise it with your midwife, maternity service or GP. Getting each vaccine at the recommended time gives you the best chance of protecting yourself and passing useful early protection to your baby.
