Brazil vaccination rates for pregnant women fall below health targets

Vaccination rates among pregnant women in Brazil remain significantly below the 90% target set by health authorities. According to Ministry of Health data, COVID-19 immunization coverage has stagnated at 55%, while influenza vaccination coverage has shown recent improvement, reaching approximately 76% in preliminary 2026 data.

Low immunization levels pose serious risks to both mothers and newborns. Between 2023 and August 2026, at least 286 pregnant or postpartum women developed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SRAG) due to influenza, resulting in 25 deaths. During the same period, COVID-19 caused 205 severe cases and 21 deaths in this demographic.

Medical experts emphasize that vaccination during pregnancy is critical for providing passive immunity to infants, who cannot receive these specific vaccines until they are six months old. The current recommended vaccination schedule for pregnant women includes Hepatitis B, dT, influenza, and COVID-19, with dTpa and RSV vaccines also indicated at specific gestational stages.