Doctor, I’m Pregnant, Should I get the TDap vaccine?
The TDap Vaccine vaccinates for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). All the components are inactive (non-viable, non-living). The Center for Disease Control strongly recommends the vaccine and there is clear evidence of the vaccine’s safety. ACOG (American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology) also highly recommends the vaccine for pregnant women and their immediate families.
Information on the protective portion of the vaccine against pertussis (whooping cough) should be of utmost importance for the pregnant patient and her immediate family. World-wide there are 30+ million cases /year with hundreds of thousand deaths. In the United States , because of vaccination programs, we experience significant fewer cases, yet in the DFW metroplex there were 6 reported deaths in 2012 associated with Pertussis (see NBCDFW.COM 9/13/2012) and there were over 28,000 cases reported to The CDC (Center of Disease Control) .
It is important to keep in mind:
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Children under 12 months of age are highly susceptible and are more prone to developing life threatening pneumonias. In fact it is reported that up to ½ of babies with the infection need hospitalization. For this reason, it is recommended that anyone, especially close family members, planning contact with newborn babies less than 6 months (when they are typically vaccinated) be vaccinated to prevent spreading infection to the newborn.
