Have Anxiety, Dryness In Throat, Fang Marks Whitened. Can I Get A Rabies Vaccine While I'm Pregnant?

Posted on Thu, 29 Mar 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 Answered on

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : Can I get a rabies vaccine while I'm pregnant? I have been scratched by a cat at the humane society, it cut my upper back while I was holding it and it wanted to get down, that was on Friday so 4 days ago and I had a jacket on. I have serve anxiety in general and I feel like I just need to get the vaccine just to be safe. Is it safe for my baby I'm 25 weeks to even get a vaccine shot? I read online and the cat said it's up-to-date on routine shots. But I called and they said they don't give the animals rabies shots until adopted is daily shots considered even rabies then? Please help A.S.A.P. Worried to death went to the hospital last night and they said I'm fine but I'm still worried to death. Also my throat has been so dry and its never been like this please help! Also it freaked me out that I work sometimes outside at my work and have been since my throat has been really dry and it was freezing outside at work, and I work in the garden area. The I started to worry that a bat bite me, because at the hospital they told me to only be worried of a bat bite and I freaked out and thought I seen a bat just in my mind freaking myself out. I don't believe I did but again I was wearing a hoodie and checked myself today and seen 2 bite/fang marks on my shoulder blade and its a white circle around it. Would I have felt it? I'm a serious hypochondriac. Should I get the vaccine just to be safe or will it harm my baby? Please HELP!!

Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (4 hours later)

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.

Rabies vaccine contains inactivated rabies virus. For people who have not been immunised against rabies and have bitten by an animal suspected of having rabies, the first injection of rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible after the bite, followed by five further doses on days 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90. The treatment may be stopped if the animal concerned is later found to be free of rabies.

According to CDC, pregnancy is not considered a contraindication to postexposure prophylaxis. Certain studies have indicated no increased incidence of abortion, premature births, or fetal abnormalities associated with rabies vaccination. Hence there s no risk of the vaccination during pregnancy.

But since it has been 4 days post exposure, you have missed the initial two doses. Hence discuss it with your healthcare provider. Because the documented incubation period for rabies ranges from 9 days to 7 years, all rabies exposures should receive post exposure vaccination regardless of the time since the exposure. Hence discuss it with your healthcare provider and get it administered.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar