Why tdap in pregnancy

Prenatal tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis Tdap vaccination is not associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder ASD in offspring, according to a study published in Pediatrics. In response to rising incidence of pertussis whooping cough , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ACIP recommended in October that all pregnant women, whether previously vaccinated or not, receive the Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation to prevent pertussis in their offspring.

Pertussis is a highly contagious infection caused by Bordetella pertussis that can lead to hospitalization and death in young infants. When given during pregnancy to mothers, the vaccine is Previously, it had been found that Tdap vaccine does not increase the risk for a variety of maternal and pediatric outcomes, including small-for-gestational-age size, preterm delivery, or low birth weight.

Protection from pertussis vaccines does not last as long as vaccine experts would like, so Tdap is recommended during pregnancy in order to provide optimal protection to the infant. If Tdap is administered at a preconception visit, it should be administered again during pregnancy between 27 and 36 weeks gestation. Tdap can be safely administered earlier in pregnancy if needed. Pregnant women should receive Tdap anytime during pregnancy if it is indicated for wound care or during a community pertussis outbreak.

If Tdap is administered earlier in pregnancy, it should not be repeated between 27 and 36 weeks gestation; only one dose is recommended during each pregnancy. Top of Page. Related Pages. Related Links. After receiving a Tdap vaccine, your body creates protective antibodies and passes some of them to your baby before birth.

These antibodies provide your baby some short-term protection against whooping cough in early life. These antibodies can also protect your baby from some of the more serious complications, including hospitalization, that come along with getting whooping cough. The recommended time to get the shot is during your 27 th through 36 th week of pregnancy, preferably during the earlier part of this time period. Protective antibodies are at their highest about 2 weeks after getting the vaccine, but it takes time to pass them to your baby.

So the preferred time to get a Tdap vaccine is early in your third trimester. The amount of whooping cough antibodies in your body decreases over time. That is why CDC recommends you get a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, even if your pregnancies are only a year or two apart. Doing so allows each of your babies to get the greatest number of protective antibodies and best protection possible. When women get a Tdap vaccine while pregnant, their babies have better protection against whooping cough than babies whose mothers did not get vaccinated during pregnancy.

If you did not get a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy and have never received it before, you can get it after your baby is born. It will take about 2 weeks before your body develops protection antibodies in response to the vaccine.

Once you have protection from the vaccine, you are less likely to give whooping cough to your newborn while caring for him. But remember, your baby will still be at risk for catching whooping cough from others. This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women's health.

It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Ask ACOG.