A CDC Study Published Today Provides further evidence that Tdap vaccination during pregnancy helps protect newborns from whooping cough during the first two months of life, when they are most susceptible to the disease.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is highly contagious and can be especially serious for infants who are not old enough to be vaccinated. CDC scientists tracked reports of infant whooping cough cases between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019. They found an association between lower rates of whooping cough in newborns less than two months old and Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. These findings support the CDC’s recommendation for Tdap vaccination during weeks 27-36 of each pregnancy.
Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Dr. Jose R. “Receiving Tdap during pregnancy provides the best protection for infants before they are old enough to receive their whooping cough vaccine,” Romero said. “This protection is important because the first few months are when babies are most likely to have serious complications, hospitalization or death from whooping cough.”
The new study is the first time researchers have looked at US population-level trends in infant whooping cough cases since this maternal vaccination strategy began in 2011. The rate of neonatal pertussis has decreased significantly since the introduction of maternal Tdap vaccination. When given during the third trimester of pregnancy, the Tdap vaccination prevents more than three out of four cases of whooping cough in infants less than two months old.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ liaison to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. “Everyone who is pregnant should feel confident knowing that the Tdap vaccine is safe and effective,” said Linda Eckert. “Knowing that Tdap vaccination during pregnancy prevents nine out of 10 babies from being hospitalized with whooping cough, I recommend this vaccine to all of my pregnant patients for their peace of mind and the health and well-being of their families.” Strongly recommend.”
Women should get vaccinated during the third trimester of each pregnancy to boost their antibodies and pass those antibodies on to their babies. Everyone in close contact with babies should be up to date on their whooping cough vaccines.
CDC and partners are working to increase Tdap vaccination during pregnancy, which dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit the CDC whooping cough website.