If you’re planning a vacation, be aware that not everything you need goes in your suitcase. To keep yourself healthy while traveling, you may need immunizations before you go.

See your doctor before you leave. If you’re traveling outside the U.S., review your immunization record with your doctor to make sure you’re up-to-date. Schedule your doctor’s appointment for about two months before you leave. Some vaccines take six weeks to become highly effective.

Standard vaccines include hepatitis, tetanus, and polio. You may also want to consider getting flu and pneumonia vaccines. If you’re traveling to certain underdeveloped areas of the world, you may need shots or drugs for yellow fever, malaria, and other diseases.

Pregnant women, however, should avoid live virus vaccines, such as measles, mumps, and rubella; varicella; and yellow fever.

You can find out more about vaccines for travelers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov.