Which pertussis vaccine and how many doses of vaccine will pregnant women be given?.Scientific evidence has shown that pertussis vaccines are very safe for the pregnant women and their babies. Is the pertussis vaccine safe in pregnancy?.This can help protect mother from infection during postpartum period, hence avoiding transmission to the newborn baby. Should pregnant women receive the pertussis vaccine if they miss the vaccination during pregnancy?įor women who have not received any pertussis-containing vaccine during pregnancy, they are recommended to receive one dose of acellular pertussis-containing vaccine as early as possible after delivery, preferably before discharge from hospital.The antenatal clinics of Hospital Authority and Maternal and Child Health Centres of Department of Health will provide pertussis vaccination for pregnant women from 26 to 34 week of pregnancy. Of note, the vaccine should be given preferably at least 15 days before the end of pregnancy, so that enough time is allowed for antibodies to develop in pregnant women, and passage of enough antibodies to the foetus before delivery for optimal protection. When should pregnant women have the pertussis vaccine?Īccording to SCVPD, the timing of vaccination is recommended to be anytime in the second or third trimester, preferably before 35 weeks of gestation.The antibodies produced can be passed to the foetus before birth for direct protection against pertussis in the first few months when the infant has not yet completed his/her own vaccination. The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) recommended that pregnant women should receive one dose of acellular pertussis-containing vaccine during each pregnancy as part and parcel of routine antenatal care regardless of previous vaccination or natural infection history against pertussis. Infants do not begin their vaccination against pertussis until 2 months of age according to the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP). Similar situation has also been observed in Hong Kong with marked increases in the annual number of reported cases since 2017. In recent years, upsurge of pertussis cases has been observed in different countries despite high vaccination coverage. In general, the morbidity and mortality of pertussis are highest in infants. Why are pregnant women advised to receive the pertussis vaccine?.Hence, they may not know they have pertussis and can end up spreading it to the babies who have close contact with them. How are babies infected with pertussis?īabies usually contract pertussis via direct contact with or droplet transmission from their infected caregivers who may initially have non-specific symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and mild cough.Pertussis can cause pneumonia, apnea, respiratory failure, seizures, brain damage, and even death. In 2017-2018, about 40% of the pertussis cases reported to the Centre for Health Protection were infants aged below six months who had not completed the primary series of pertussis vaccination. Young infants are at the greatest risk of serious complications and mortality following infection. People of any ages can be infected with pertussis.
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