Baby Vaccine Schedule in Türkiye 2026: Which Vaccine, When

TL;DR: in Türkiye, baby vaccines are given free at family health centres under the Ministry of Health's Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The schedule starts with hepatitis B at birth; the hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) and pneumococcal (PCV) doses come at months 2, 4 and 6, MMR and varicella at month 12, and boosters plus hepatitis A at month 18. You'll find the schedule month by month in the table below. This article describes Türkiye's national programme — if you live elsewhere, check your own country's schedule.

"Which vaccine will my baby get and when?" is one of the most asked questions of the newborn period. The good news: in Türkiye there's a clear answer. The Ministry of Health's National Childhood Immunisation Schedule sets out exactly which vaccine falls in which month, from birth to school age. This guide explains the current schedule month by month, what each vaccine protects against, and what to watch for afterwards.

Why Does the National Schedule Matter So Much?

Türkiye's Expanded Programme on Immunisation protects babies and children against serious diseases including tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, Hib meningitis, pneumococcal disease, measles, rubella, mumps, varicella and hepatitis A. The best part of the programme: every vaccine on the schedule is completely free at family health centres. Your family doctor calls you when a vaccine is due, and most centres send appointment reminders.

The timing of the schedule isn't arbitrary. Each dose is planned around the period when your baby's immune system will respond best and when the risk of the disease begins. So rather than "let's put it off, it can be done later", sticking to the schedule as closely as possible minimises the time your baby is unprotected.

One important update: the schedule now uses the hexavalent vaccine (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB). With hepatitis B added to the previous pentavalent vaccine, babies are protected against more diseases with fewer injections and separate follow-up hepatitis B doses are no longer needed.

Which Vaccine When? The Month-by-Month Table

The table below summarises the Ministry of Health's current National Childhood Immunisation Schedule:

Month	Vaccines	Note
At birth	Hepatitis B (dose 1)	Ideally within the first 72 hours, given in hospital
End of month 2	BCG, hexavalent (dose 1), PCV (dose 1)	BCG (tuberculosis) is a single dose, usually given in the left shoulder
End of month 4	Hexavalent (dose 2), PCV (dose 2)
End of month 6	Hexavalent (dose 3), OPV (dose 1)	OPV is given as oral drops
End of month 9	MMR (extra dose)	An extra dose for early protection against measles
End of month 12	MMR (dose 1), varicella, PCV (booster)	The extra dose at month 9 does not replace the month 12 dose
End of month 18	Hexavalent (booster), OPV (dose 2), hepatitis A (dose 1)
End of month 24	Hepatitis A (dose 2)
Month 48	DTaP-IPV (booster), MMR (dose 2)	The pre-school booster period
Age 13	Td (booster)	Adult-type tetanus-diphtheria

The Ministry of Health may update the schedule from time to time in line with scientific developments, so always confirm the current schedule for your baby with your family doctor and via the national health records system.

What Do These Vaccines Protect Against?

The abbreviations look complicated at first, but each vaccine's job is clear:

• Hepatitis B: protects against the hepatitis B virus, which causes liver inflammation and, in the long term, a risk of cirrhosis.
• BCG (tuberculosis vaccine): provides protection against the severe forms of tuberculosis seen particularly in babies.
• Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB): six protections in one injection — diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio (inactivated), Hib meningitis and hepatitis B.
• PCV (conjugate pneumococcal vaccine): protects against pneumococcal bacteria, which can cause pneumonia, meningitis and middle ear infections.
• OPV (oral polio vaccine): drops given by mouth against polio; it complements the inactivated polio component in the hexavalent.
• MMR: triple protection in one vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella.
• Varicella: protects against chickenpox, which causes an itchy rash and can sometimes become serious.
• Hepatitis A: protects against the hepatitis A virus, generally transmitted through water and food.

Which Vaccines at 2 Months?

The end of month 2 is one of the busiest stops on the schedule: BCG, the first dose of the hexavalent and the first dose of PCV are all given at the same visit. Giving several vaccines on the same day is safe and doesn't weaken the immune response — on the contrary, it shortens the time your baby spends unprotected.

This visit is also an opportunity for your family doctor to assess your baby's overall development. If you're curious what to expect from your baby at month 2, have a look at our baby development by month guide. Having your baby fed and rested before vaccine day makes things easier; our article on how often a newborn should feed can help you settle a feeding rhythm.

Which Vaccines at 4 Months?

At the end of month 4, the second dose of the hexavalent and the second dose of PCV are given. No new vaccine type is added; the series started at month 2 continues. This is the visit most parents describe as "easier than last time" — there are fewer doses and you now know the process.

Which Vaccines at 6 Months?

At the end of month 6, the third dose of the hexavalent and the first dose of OPV (oral polio) are given. OPV is given as drops by mouth rather than by injection, which makes it one of the easiest doses for your baby.

The sixth month is also when solids begin. Try not to schedule the vaccine visit and the start of solids on the same day: trying a new food for the first time makes it harder to tell whether any fussiness comes from the vaccine or the food. We've set out how to start solids step by step in our starting solids guide.

Which Vaccine at 9 Months?

At the end of month 9, an extra dose of MMR is given. This dose was added to provide early protection against measles and does not replace the first dose due at month 12 — a point that's very often confused. Having had MMR at 9 months doesn't mean you can skip the month 12 dose.

Which Vaccines at 12 Months?

The first birthday is the second busy stop on the schedule: the first MMR dose, the varicella vaccine and a PCV booster are given at the same visit. At this visit your family doctor usually also measures height and weight and carries out a developmental assessment; the one-year check is one of the most comprehensive examinations of the year.

Which Vaccines at 18 Months?

At the end of month 18, the hexavalent booster, the second OPV dose and the first hepatitis A dose are given. The second hepatitis A dose comes at month 24, six months later; maintaining the interval between those two doses matters.

Children of this age are now old enough to react to an injection. Explaining what will happen beforehand in simple sentences ("your arm will hurt a bit, then it'll stop") and keeping your word afterwards makes subsequent visits easier.

Month 24 and Beyond

At the end of month 24 the second hepatitis A dose is given. After that a long gap begins: the next stop is the DTaP-IPV booster and second MMR dose at month 48, and the final one a Td booster (adult-type tetanus-diphtheria) at age 13.

These long gaps are the hardest part of following the schedule, because you fall out of the routine. Checking your health records once a year, or entering the schedule into an app, prevents the month 48 dose slipping through.

How Should You Prepare for Vaccine Day?

Vaccine day can be a little tense for both baby and parent; small preparations make it noticeably easier:

• Dress your baby comfortably: clothes that give easy access to the arm and leg and are quick to remove shorten the moment. Baby vaccines are usually given in the thigh.
• Bring the vaccination card and ID: having doses recorded on the card keeps the records complete.
• Hold your baby during the vaccination: skin contact and your familiar smell calm them. Feeding immediately afterwards also shortens the crying for many babies.
• Plan a calm rest of the day: try not to fit a crowded visit or a long journey into vaccine day; your baby may need to rest.
• Be kind to yourself too: watching your baby cry is hard, but remember — those few seconds of discomfort buy years of protection.

Are There Optional Vaccines Outside the Schedule?

Beyond the national schedule, some families choose optional (private) vaccines on their doctor's recommendation: rotavirus, meningococcal and seasonal flu are the best known. These aren't part of the national programme so they carry a fee, and whether they're needed depends on your baby's health, age and circumstances. Some, like the rotavirus vaccine, have a narrow window in which they can be started, so if you're considering optional vaccines it's important to discuss them with your family doctor or paediatrician in the early months. The decision about which vaccine makes sense for your baby should always be made together with your doctor.

Which Reactions Are Normal, and When Should You See a Doctor?

Mild reactions after a vaccine are common and generally a sign the immune system is working:

• Redness, mild swelling or tenderness at the injection site
• A mild fever, tiredness or a temporary change in sleep
• Fussiness, a bit more crying than usual
• A small sore or scar developing at the BCG site over the following weeks (an expected process)

These usually resolve on their own within a day or two. Plenty of holding, feeding, and a fever reducer if your doctor recommends one, are generally enough.

Seek care from your family doctor or a health facility without delay in these situations:

• A fever that won't come down or is very high
• Hours of inconsolable crying
• A widespread rash, swelling of the face or lips, difficulty breathing
• Marked lethargy, complete refusal to feed
• Seizure-like movements

Serious allergic reactions are very rare; this is why you may be asked to wait at the facility for a short period after a vaccine.

What If You Miss an Appointment?

Life doesn't always fit the schedule — your baby gets ill, you move, an appointment is forgotten. No panic: a missed vaccine is caught up by continuing the schedule from where it left off; no vaccine series is restarted. All you need to do is reach your family doctor as soon as possible and work out the catch-up plan together.

A few practical tips that make tracking easier:

1. Keep the vaccination card: the card given at birth is the official record of every dose, and may be requested for nursery and school registration.
2. Use your health records: you can see your baby's completed vaccines in the national health records system and check they've all been entered.
3. A mild illness isn't a barrier: for something like a mild cold the vaccine is usually not postponed; your doctor makes the call. Don't cancel the appointment yourself on the grounds that your baby is unwell.
4. Prepare your list of questions: vaccine visits are short, so noting your questions in advance means you won't forget any.

How Do You Make Vaccine Tracking Easier?

This schedule stretches from birth to month 48 and contains dozens of doses, and between sleepless nights "which one was next?" is easily lost. Baby Wallie lists your baby's vaccines according to Türkiye's national schedule: you can mark completed vaccines as done and get reminders for upcoming doses. So even if the vaccination card is forgotten in a drawer, the schedule stays current in your pocket.

You can ask the Wallie AI assistant any question that comes up — "why is the PCV booster at month 12?", "can I bath my baby on vaccine day?" — at any time. And if you're curious about the stops on your baby's growth journey beyond vaccines, our month-by-month development guide is a good next step.

A final word: the vaccine schedule is one of the most powerful health gifts you can give your baby — and it's free. Follow it with your family doctor, keep your records up to date, and never hesitate to ask any question on your mind.

If you'd like to see exactly which day each vaccine falls on based on your baby's date of birth, use our vaccine schedule calculator — it marks the next dose too.