Smallpox Vaccine in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
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Vaccine, Vaccinia - Smallpox, (Dryvax ®)

CATEGORY:C [Manufacturer]
CATEGORY:X [1]
Live attenuated virus vaccine.

Vaccinia should not be administered to pregnant women for routine nonemergency indications. Although vaccinia vaccine is not known to cause congenital malformations primary vaccination with vaccinia virus has been reported to cause fetal infection. Fetal vaccinia usually results in stillbirth or death of the infant shortly after delivery. [2,3,4]

There are no absolute contraindications regarding vaccination of a person with a high-risk exposure to smallpox.

BREAST FEEDING: It is not known whether vaccine antigens or antibodies are excreted in human milk. This vaccine is not recommended for use in a nursing mother in non-emergency conditions [2, 4].

SEARCH LITERATURE

1. Briggs GG,Freeman RK, Yaffe SJ, Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation 5th edition,Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins,1998
2. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Vaccinia (Smallpox) Vaccine Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2001 MMWR 50 (No. RR-10): 1-25, 2001.
3. Levine MM. Live-virus vaccines in pregnancy. Risks and recommendations. Lancet. 1974 ;2:34-8. MEDLINE
4. Dryvax ® package insert 2002

Created: 11/27/2002
Last Update: 11/27/2002

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