Considerations to evaluate Maternal Immunization
- Data indicate that maternal antibodies may reduce the magnitude of the immune response to some vaccines in infants born from mothers vaccinated with Tdap during pregnancy; this phenomenon is known as blunting 1
- The clinical relevance of this observation is unknown 1
- According to the CDC, the benefits of vaccinating during pregnancy and protecting the baby during the vulnerable newborn period probably outweigh the potential risk of the blunting seen after administration of the primary series 1
Tdap: tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine. CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
References:
- CDC. Pregnancy and Whooping Cough. For Healthcare Professionals. Vaccinating Pregnant Patients. [accessed March 2018]; Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/hcp/pregnant-patients.html