Prevention: Parents-to-be

Español: Prevención: Futuros padres

Pertussis (whooping cough) can lead to serious illness, needing treatment in the hospital, and death. Babies who are too young to be well-protected by pertussis vaccines are especially at risk. You can help protect your baby from pertussis by:

• Getting a pertussis vaccine (Tdap) if you are pregnant
• Encouraging those around your baby to be up-to-date with pertussis vaccination
• Making sure your baby starts getting his pertussis vaccines on time, at 2 months old

Learn more about how each of these steps offers protection to your baby.

References

• CDC. Updated Recommendations for Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap) in Pregnant Women — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2012. MMWR. 2013;62(07):131–5.
• CDC. Updated Recommendations for Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine in Pregnant Women and Persons Who Have or Anticipate Having Close Contact with an Infant Aged Less than 12 Months — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011. MMWR. 2011;60(41):1424–6.
• CDC. Updated Recommendations for the Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2010. MMWR 2011;60(01):13–15.
• CDC. Prevention of Pertussis, Tetanus, and Diphtheria Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Their Infants. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2008;57(04):1–47, 51.
• CDC. Preventing Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Among Adults: Use of Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccines. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and Recommendation of ACIP, supported by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), for the Use of Tdap Among Healthcare Personnel. MMWR 2006;55(RR17):1–33.

Resources for Parents-to-be

• Pregnancy and Whooping Cough
• Vaccine Information Statements (Td and Tdap)
• Infographic: Protect Babies from Whooping Cough
• Pertussis Resources for Pregnant Women
• Adolescent and Adult Vaccine Quiz