ACOG immunization – For the first time, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released its own immunization schedule for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding patients—timed to counter growing vaccine misinformation and to reflect guidance that differs from cu
On Wednesday, an OB-GYN group stepped into a fight that’s been brewing since the government’s vaccine guidance shifted: the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released its own immunization schedule for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women.
The move is more than a paperwork change. Dr. Christopher Zahn, chief of clinical practice for the organization, framed it as a decision made to provide “clear evidence-based guidance” after what he described as “the growing vaccine misinformation that is circulating.”
The ACOG immunization schedule is designed for pregnant people as well as those in the postpartum and breastfeeding periods. It aligns with recommendations that existed before changes were made under the Trump administration and by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and it mirrors earlier guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Earlier this year, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists withdrew from a CDC advisory committee on vaccines because of those changes. The shift in federal guidance has also spawned legal challenges.
ACOG’s schedule is not standing alone. The group said it was endorsed by 13 other professional and medical societies. It is also part of a broader pattern in which other organizations—such as the American Academy of Pediatrics—have put out vaccine schedules this year that differ from the CDC’s.
The recommendations are specific about what should happen during pregnancy. ACOG says four immunizations are routinely recommended:
First is the flu vaccine, which can be taken in any trimester and at any time of year, with the organization saying it’s best to get it in early fall.
Second is the COVID-19 shot, also available in any trimester and at any time of year, with ACOG saying it’s best to receive it as soon as possible during pregnancy.
Third is a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) shot, preferably as early as possible between 27 and 36 weeks.
Fourth is a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. recommended between 32 and 36 weeks for people in their first pregnancy—timed for September through January in most parts of the U.S. If someone received the RSV vaccine in a previous pregnancy. ACOG says they do not need it again. but their baby should receive an antibody shot after birth. The group says the baby can also get that shot instead of the maternal vaccine.
Beyond routine vaccines, ACOG says other shots—pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis A and hepatitis B—may be needed for women with certain risk factors, and it recommends discussing those options with a doctor.
Three additional vaccines are recommended before pregnancy or after birth: protection against human papillomavirus, measles, mumps and rubella, and chickenpox.
The sharpest difference from federal guidance involves COVID-19.
Last May. Kennedy announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy pregnant women and children—an approach that was immediately questioned by several public health experts. Federal officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At the center of the controversy is the reality clinicians say they’re facing in exam rooms. At an event announcing the new guidelines, several health care professionals described ongoing pushback from patients.
Carol Hayes of the American College of Nurse Midwives said vaccine hesitancy is “huge in this country right now.” She described how patients show up saying they’ve “done my own research,” only to find information that, in her view, is “not scientifically based.”
Sarah Vaillancourt of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health said her members are seeing similar confusion. She pointed to social media as a major driver and said that. in that environment. it’s “really useful” for the OB-GYN group to provide accurate information for patients.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
ACOG vaccine recommendations immunization schedule pregnant women postpartum breastfeeding COVID-19 vaccine flu vaccine Tdap RSV vaccine Robert F. Kennedy Jr. CDC guidance