Most Pregnant Women Aren ’ t Getting Flu And Whooping Cough Shots, CDC Warns

(CNN) — Most pregnant women in the United States don’t get flu and whooping cough vaccines even though the shots are safe and recommended as part of routine prenatal care, a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. The report said the low rates of vaccination during pregnancy could put moms-to-be and newborns at greater risk of infection, hospitalization and death. The two vaccinations pass on antibodies to the fetus that provide protection after birth, when babies are too young to be vaccinated. It added that pregnant women have more than double the risk of hospitalization if they get influenza compared to women of childbearing age who aren’t pregnant, the CDC said. The CDC surveyed nearly 2,100 women ages 18 to 49 who were pregnant any time between August 2018 and April 2019. They found that 54% had reported getting a flu shot and 55% said that had received Tdap — the vaccination for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, which is known as whooping cough. It said that only 35% had received both vaccinations. Flu Season Has Arrived: Dozens Of Cases Confirmed In Mass. “Obstetricians and midwives are on the front line of care for expectant mothers and are the most trusted source of vaccine information for their pregnant patients,” said Dr. Amanda Cohn, chief medical officer in CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “We encourage them to start discussing the importance of ma...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News Syndicated CBSN Boston CNN Flu Vaccine Pregnancy Whooping Cough Source Type: news