Friday, January 18, 2013

In the News--Whooping cough and flu vaccines recommended for pregnant women



Did you see this one?  Wow, this one blows my mind.  Because of concern for unborn babies, the
amount and types of medicines that a pregnant woman can take is limited.  That two vaccines are being recommended for pregnant women surprises me. When I was growing up as a new nurse (and for many years), the recommendations for what medications a pregnant woman can take has been (and still is) very cautious.

According to the CDC.gov website, pregnant women should receive Tdap (adult tetanus, toxoid reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis) vaccine “after 20 weeks gestational age to optimize antibody transfer and protection at birth.”  More information can be found at
The seasonal flu shot is recommended also and can be given at any time during pregnancy, according to the CDC website, http://www.cdc.gov/features/pregnancyandflu/
The experts believe both these vaccines will protect both mom and newborn.  This recommendation is worth a conversation with your obstetrician. 

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