Receiving the Tdap vaccination in the third trimester of pregnancy can help pregnant mothers prevent whooping cough in their unborn child.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked cases of infant whooping cough between Jan. 1, 2000, and Dec. 31, 2019.
Researchers discovered a connection between the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccination given during pregnancy and a lower incidence of whooping cough in infants younger than two months of age. High-contagious whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can be dangerous for young children who have not yet received their vaccinations. At two months of age, the CDC advises that infants receive their first Tdap vaccination.
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Reports on whooping cough
According to a CDC news release, Dr. José Romero, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says “getting Tdap during pregnancy offers infants the best protection before they are old enough to receive their whooping cough vaccines.” “This protection is essential because if an infant contracts whooping cough during those first few months, they are more likely to experience serious complications, require hospitalization, or even pass away.” Since the implementation of this mother vaccination strategy in 2011, the researchers have not examined trends in infant whooping cough cases at the population level in the United States. It is recommended by the CDC that all pregnant women receive the Tdap vaccine between weeks 27 and 36.
vaccination
Newborn whooping cough rates have decreased significantly since vaccination of pregnant women began, according to the CDC. Maternal Tdap vaccination prevents more than three-quarters of cases of whooping cough in infants under 2 months of age. Tdap vaccination during pregnancy dropped off during the pandemic, and the CDC and its partners are working to increase immunization rates. The CDC said that all people in close contact with infants should be up to date with their whooping cough vaccines.
Results
“The Tdap vaccine is safe and effective, and anyone who is pregnant should feel confident in that knowledge,” stated Dr. Linda Eckert, the liaison from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. “I strongly recommend the Tdap vaccination to all of my pregnant patients for their peace of mind as well as the health and well-being of their family, knowing that this vaccination protects 9 out of 10 babies from being hospitalized with whooping cough during pregnancy.”
By the WHO
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. In 2018, there were more than 151 000 cases of pertussis globally.
Pertussis spreads easily from person to person, mainly through droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. The disease is most dangerous in infants and is a significant cause of disease and death in this age group.
The first symptoms generally appear 7–10 days after the infection. They include a mild fever, runny nose and cough, which in typical cases gradually develop into a hacking cough followed by whooping (hence the common name of whooping cough). Pneumonia is a relatively common complication, and seizures and brain disease occur rarely.People with pertussis are most contagious up to about 3 weeks after the cough begins, and many children who contract the infection have coughing spells that last 4 to 8 weeks. Antibiotics are used to treat the infection.
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