What risks does the smallpox vaccine pose to pregnant women?
All people have some risks from the smallpox vaccine. It is made from a live virus called vaccinia. In general, vaccines that contain live viruses are not recommended for use during pregnancy. On rare occasions, smallpox vaccine can cause an infection (fetal vaccinia) in the fetus of a pregnant woman who was vaccinated during her pregnancy, leading to premature delivery, stillbirth, or death of the child soon after delivery. Sometimes a baby who develops fetal vaccinia is born with skin scars but is otherwise healthy. Fewer than 50 cases of fetal vaccinia have ever been reported in the world; three of these cases were in the United States.1 A woman who has been vaccinated and is considering becoming pregnant should wait until the scab falls off the vaccination site before trying to become pregnant. Should I get the smallpox vaccine? In an outbreak, everyone who has been in contact with a person with smallpox or who was exposed to the virus should receive the one-dose vaccine, regardles
