What are the Special Concerns for Women of Child Bearing Age?
• Any woman who believes she might be pregnant or who wants additional assurance that she is not pregnant should perform a urine pregnancy test by using her first-morning–void urine on the day scheduled for vaccination. • These tests could be made available at the prescreening and vaccination sites to avoid cost or other barriers to testing. • Women should be informed that a negative urine pregnancy test cannot exclude a very early pregnancy, and therefore, they and their health-care providers should not base a decision regarding their pregnancy status solely on a urine pregnancy test result. • Smallpox vaccination during pregnancy should not ordinarily be a reason to terminate pregnancy. Should All Potential Vaccines be Tested for AIDS? • ACIP does not recommend mandatory HIV testing before smallpox vaccination, but recommends that HIV testing should be readily available to all persons considering smallpox vaccination. • HIV testing is recommended for persons who have any history of
