While the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis, or Tdap, vaccine has been recommended for pregnant women as a way to protect newborn infants from whooping cough, its safety had not been fully determined until a new study was recently published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.
Researchers from the University of Texas analyzed health outcomes between 1,109 births in which the mother received the Tdap vaccine to 650 births in which the mother was not vaccinated. They found no differences in maternal and infant health outcomes that could be directly connected to the vaccine, meaning the vaccine is safe for both mothers and infants.
"Our study adds to the growing body of evidence that the Tdap vaccine is safe for pregnant women and their unborn children," said Abbey Berenson, MD, PhD, the study's lead author. "It's important for women to get the Tdap vaccine while they are pregnant to protect their infants from pertussis."