What is free in pregnancy

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora offers three free immunisations in pregnancy: flu, whooping cough and COVID-19. The vaccines do not affect your pēpi directly, but you naturally pass on some of your immunity, so your baby is born with some protection until they are old enough to be immunised themselves. Health New Zealand says this matters most for whooping cough.

Whooping cough (Boostrix): from 16 weeks, every pregnancy

The National Immunisation Schedule recommends 1 dose from 16 weeks of each pregnancy. Health New Zealand says it is most effective from 16 weeks, but it is available and free from 13 weeks of every pregnancy. The vaccine is Boostrix, which also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.

The reason is stark. More than half of babies under 12 months who catch whooping cough need to go to hospital, and up to 1 in 50 of those babies die. Your immunity crosses the placenta and protects your baby until their first immunisations at 6 weeks. Whooping cough is not under control in New Zealand, and outbreaks affect thousands of people. Read more in whooping cough in babies.

Flu: any stage, every pregnancy

You can have a free flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy, one dose for every pregnancy. If your pregnancy spans two flu seasons, Health New Zealand recommends a vaccination in both. Flu in pregnancy raises your risk of pneumonia and hospital admission, and increases the chance of premature birth, low birthweight, miscarriage or stillbirth; see flu when pregnant.

The flu vaccine is available from 1 April each year. Health New Zealand says the 2026 season started later than usual, and the vaccine can be given up until the end of December.

COVID-19: if you are not up to date

If you are not up to date, you can have a free COVID-19 vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. Pregnant women over 16 can have boosters; Health New Zealand recommends waiting at least 6 months since your last COVID-19 vaccine or infection.

What is not on the list: RSV

New Zealand's free pregnancy list has three vaccines, and an RSV vaccine is not one of them. That is a genuine difference from Australia, which funds a maternal RSV vaccine at 28 to 36 weeks, and the UK, where the NHS offers one from 28 weeks; see our Australian pregnancy vaccines guide for comparison.

Before you conceive, and after the birth

Some vaccines cannot be given in pregnancy, so check your immunity before you conceive. Health New Zealand says it is very important to have had 2 doses of MMR at least a month before getting pregnant, because you cannot have it while pregnant. Rubella can cause serious birth defects, and measles in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery. If you are not sure whether you are vaccinated, MMR is free. A chickenpox vaccine before pregnancy is strongly recommended if you have not had chickenpox or been vaccinated, and costs around $70.

After the birth, you may be recommended a free MMR vaccine, which is safe while breastfeeding. All vaccines on the National Immunisation Schedule are free and safe while breastfeeding. Adults who live with a newborn are recommended a whooping cough booster at least every 10 years; if they are not eligible for a free dose, it costs between $40 and $90.

Your baby's immunisation schedule

For tamariki under 18, every immunisation on the National Immunisation Schedule is free, whatever your visa or citizenship status, including for visitors. This is the current schedule:

Age	Immunisations
6 weeks	Rotavirus (oral, dose 1 of 2); diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hep B and Hib (1 of 3); pneumococcal (1 of 3)
3 months	Rotavirus (2 of 2); diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hep B and Hib (2 of 3); meningococcal B (1 of 3)
5 months	Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hep B and Hib (3 of 3); pneumococcal (2 of 3); meningococcal B (2 of 3)
12 months	Measles, mumps and rubella (1 of 2); pneumococcal (3 of 3); meningococcal B (3 of 3)
15 months	Hib booster; measles, mumps and rubella (2 of 2); chickenpox (single dose)
4 years	Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio booster
From 9 years	HPV (2 doses, at least 6 months apart)
From 11 years	Tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster

The rotavirus vaccine has hard limits: the first dose must be given before 15 weeks and the second before 25 weeks, which is the strongest reason not to miss the 6-week appointment. Rotavirus immunisation protects around 8 out of 10 babies from severe infection.

Flu from 6 months: from 1 September 2026, flu immunisation is free for all children aged 6 months up to their fifth birthday, because many young people became very unwell with flu this year. A child under 4 having flu vaccine for the first time needs 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart. Babies under 6 months are too young, which is why your pregnancy dose matters.

BCG: the tuberculosis vaccine is not on the schedule, but it is free for children under 5 at higher risk. It is mainly given to newborns who will live with someone who has or has had TB, or who will live for 3 months or longer in a country with a high TB rate, or whose parents, household members or carers lived for 6 months or longer in such a country within the last 5 years. Your midwife or doctor will advise.

The baby vaccination schedule calculator turns your baby's date of birth into dates, and baby vaccinations: what to expect covers the appointments. If a dose is missed, see immunisation catch-up in New Zealand.

How to book

You can book pregnancy immunisations online through Book My Vaccine, by phone on 0800 28 29 26 on weekdays, or with your usual doctor, healthcare provider or pharmacy. Some lead maternity carer midwives can give immunisations too, so ask yours. Your baby's first immunisations are due at 6 weeks, so enrol your baby with a doctor early. Your midwife, the hospital or your Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse can help, and if you cannot find a doctor, the Vaccination Helpline on the same number can connect you with a local immunisation service. The pregnancy vaccination schedule calculator dates your windows from your due date.

Where to get help

Health New Zealand publishes the National Immunisation Schedule and its pregnancy immunisation advice, and your lead maternity carer can tell you which vaccines they give themselves. For your baby, enrolling with a general practice early makes the 6-week immunisations easier to arrange. If you are unsure what you or your child have had, check your Well Child Tamariki Ora My Health Book or My Health Record, or ask your doctor or nurse.

Frequently asked questions

Is the whooping cough vaccine free in pregnancy in NZ?

Yes. Health New Zealand funds one dose of the whooping cough vaccine (Boostrix) in every pregnancy. It is recommended from 16 weeks, when it is most effective, but it is free from 13 weeks. It protects your baby until their own first immunisations at 6 weeks.

Can I get the RSV vaccine in pregnancy in New Zealand?

RSV is not on New Zealand's free pregnancy list. Health New Zealand funds three pregnancy immunisations: flu, whooping cough and COVID-19. That differs from Australia and the UK, which both offer an RSV vaccine in pregnancy from 28 weeks. Ask your lead maternity carer or GP if you want advice on RSV.

What vaccines does my baby get at 6 weeks in NZ?

Three: the oral rotavirus vaccine (dose 1 of 2), the combined diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis B and Hib vaccine (1 of 3), and pneumococcal (1 of 3). The first rotavirus dose must be given before 15 weeks, so keep this appointment.

Are vaccines free for children who are not NZ citizens?

Yes. Health New Zealand states that for tamariki under 18, all immunisations on the National Immunisation Schedule are free no matter what their visa or citizenship status is, and that this includes visitors to Aotearoa New Zealand. Vaccines not on the schedule, such as travel vaccines, may cost money.

Vaccines in pregnancy in New Zealand, and your baby's schedule