BLOG

TDaP Vaccination & Pregnancy

TDaP is a vaccine that protects the recipient from three bacterial diseases: Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (whooping cough). You may be wondering what the relationship is between Tdap vaccination and pregnancy. To put it simply, infants cannot be vaccinated until they are two months old, making it essential for mothers to be vaccinated for these three bacterial diseases.

Why Should Pregnant Women be Concerned with TDaP?

In the United States, most pertussis cases occur in infants younger than three months of age. This is often because an infant cannot get a vaccination against TDaP until they are at least two months old. While TDaP is not particularly a high-risk condition for an adult, the risk for an infant is much greater; making it important for the mother to be vaccinated.

Vaccine Safety & Frequency

A big concern among pregnant women is whether a vaccination is safe during pregnancy. The TDaP vaccination has been found to be very safe and is not known to have any harmful effects on an unborn baby. It is recommended for expecting mothers to have the vaccination administered within the third trimester (between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation). The reason for this timing is because you want the protective antibodies to have time to go through the placenta to protect the fetus against infection. It is recommended that women have this vaccine during each pregnancy for optimal fetal protection.

Who Should Get it & What are the Side Effects?

All close family members and caretakers of the newborn should make sure that their booster vaccination is up-to-date. This is just another measure of prevention for the newborn’s health. If a person is not up-to-date, it is recommended that the booster is administered at least three weeks prior to the due date in order for the antibodies to develop. Luckily, this vaccine has limited side effects such as pain and redness in or around the injection site. If any of these symptoms pe

Maternal Fetal Medicine blogs are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace certified professional care. Medical conditions vary and change frequently. Please ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding your condition to receive a proper diagnosis or risk analysis. Thank you!