The Basics
What is Zoster Vaccine Live?
Zoster vaccine is a live vaccine that helps prevent shingles.
Brand names for Zoster Vaccine Live
Zostavax
How Zoster Vaccine Live is classified
Vaccines
Zoster Vaccine Live During Pregnancy
Zoster Vaccine Live pregnancy category
Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.
What we know about taking Zoster Vaccine Live while pregnant
ZOSTAVAX should not be administered to pregnant females since wild-type varicella can sometimes cause congenital varicella infection. Pregnancy should be avoided for three months following vaccination with ZOSTAVAX [see CONTRAINDICATIONS and PATIENT INFORMATION].
Taking Zoster Vaccine Live While Breastfeeding
What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Zoster Vaccine Live?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the several health professional organizations state that vaccines given to a nursing mother do not affect the safety of breastfeeding for mothers or infants and that breastfeeding is not a contraindication to Herpes zoster vaccine in the breastfeeding mother.[1][2][3][4] It is unlikely that women in the target population of over 60 years of age would be nursing an infant.
Maternal / infant drug levels
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the several health professional organizations state that vaccines given to a nursing mother do not affect the safety of breastfeeding for mothers or infants and that breastfeeding is not a contraindication to Herpes zoster vaccine in the breastfeeding mother.[1][2][3][4] It is unlikely that women in the target population of over 60 years of age would be nursing an infant.
Possible effects of Zoster Vaccine Live on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Possible alternatives to Zoster Vaccine Live
List of References
Lactation sources: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/1. General recommendations on immunization — recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011;60 (RR-2):1-64. PMID: 21293327
2. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, Kimberlin DW, Brady MT et al. Red Book: 2015 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 30th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. 2015.
3. Harpaz R, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Seward JF. Prevention of Herpes zoster: recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2008;57 (RR-5):1-30. PMID: 18528318
4. Gruslin A, Steben M, Halperin S et al. Immunization in pregnancy: No. 220, December 2008. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2009;105:187-91. PMID: 19367691
Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider with any questions.
