[MCOH-EH] [EXTERNAL] Pregnancy and Live Vaccines

[Swift, Melanie D., M.D., MPH]

ACIP recommends that anyone capable of bearing children be asked if they are currently pregnant or attempting to become pregnant. Vaccination should be deferred for those who answer "yes." Those who answer "no" should be advised to avoid pregnancy for one month following vaccination. Routine pregnancy testing is not necessary.

For an employer to require pregnancy testing for “females of childbearing age” – that’s fairly tricky employment waters. Now you’re forcing a conversation about sexual activity, sexual orientation, prior hysterectomy/tubal ligation. All of that is appropriate in the context of primary care or emergency medical care, but in the context of onboarding an employee, you don’t really need to go there.

Thanks,

Melanie

From: MCOH-EH <mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net> On Behalf Of Jakub Furmaga via MCOH-EH
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2023 8:49 AM
To: mcoh-eh at mylist.net
Cc: Jakub Furmaga <jfurmaga at me.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [MCOH-EH] Pregnancy and Live Vaccines

Good morning,
I wanted to ask how everyone else is handling pregnancy testing before administering live vaccines (MMR and Varicella) to employees. Some have been accepting "I am not pregnant and not planning on becoming pregnant" as sufficient to clear them for receipt of the live vaccines. However is that sufficient? Many clinics/emergency departments perform urine pregnancy testing on all females of childbearing age before doing anything that could have negative repercussions on the fetus. Should we do the same when giving the live vaccines?

Jakub

Jakub Furmaga, MD
Medical Director of Occupational Health
UT Southwestern, Dallas
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