Important! Here are the Benefits and the Right Time to Get a Tetanus Toxoid Injection During Pregnancy
One disease that pregnant women should be wary of is tetanus. Therefore, the tetanus toxoid vaccine , or TT shot, is crucial for pregnant women.
When and how many TT shots did you receive during your pregnancy? Read the explanation below.Parents.
Table of Contents
Is it safe for pregnant women to get a tetanus shot?
What are the side effects of the TT vaccine for pregnant women?
Risk of Severe Side Effects from Multiple Doses of Tetanus Vaccine
Can Pregnant Women Skip the TT Vaccine?
When is the Right Time for a Pregnant Woman to Get a TT Injection?
TT Vaccine During First Pregnancy
TT Vaccine During Second Pregnancy
Other Rules for TT Injections During Pregnancy
Vaccine Recommendations for First Pregnancy
Vaccine Recommendations for Second Pregnancy
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
Tetanus is a life-threatening bacterial disease caused by a toxin of a bacterium called Clostridium tetani .
These bacteria can enter the body through open wounds, either through small scratches or deep wounds.
Upon entry, these bacteria create a toxin called tetanospasmin as soon as it enters the bloodstream through the skin.
In newborns, an infection of the umbilical cord that does not heal, especially if the umbilical cord is cut with an unsterile instrument.
This condition is more vulnerable because newborns do not have sufficient immunity to overcome it.
Tetanus infection most often occurs in deep puncture wounds such as bites, cuts, burns, or boils. Tetanus affects a person’s nervous system and can be fatal if left untreated.
This infection can be prevented by giving pregnant women the TT vaccine. This vaccine maintains protection within the body, as well as in fetuses and newborns, who are more susceptible to the infection.
You will receive the TT (Tetanus Toxoid) vaccine during pregnancy to prevent you and your baby from getting a tetanus infection.
Tetanus is a life-threatening disease for which there is no cure, but it is easily prevented with the TT vaccine.
You can become infected with this disease when tetanus bacteria, which are common in soil and dust, enter your body through an open wound.
By getting a TT shot, your body makes antibodies that fight tetanus bacteria and prevent the disease from developing.
Your antibodies are passed on to your growing baby when you get the vaccine during pregnancy .
Therefore, babies are also protected from the disease for the first few months of their life until they receive their first TT vaccine, usually at six to eight weeks of age, as part of the DTP vaccine.
Quoting fromCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines are safe for both mother and baby at any time during pregnancy.
According to the CDC, pregnant women have received diphtheria toxoid (Td) and tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccines worldwide since the 1960s, to prevent neonatal tetanus.
Td and TT vaccines given during pregnancy have not been shown to harm the mother or baby.
When to get the TT vaccine?
The TT vaccine injection is a vital pregnancy vaccination. It is necessary if the pregnant woman has not been previously vaccinated or if her immunization status is unknown.
WHO itself recommends that women who do not have a vaccination history or vaccination record, should receive the first dose of TT vaccine as early as possible in their pregnancy, followed by a second dose four weeks later and a third dose six months after the second.
So, you may get your first TT vaccine soon after your first prenatal appointment, and get up to three doses before you give birth to your little one.
To be more precise, these two doses must be given one month apart. The second dose of the TT vaccine for pregnant women must be completed four weeks before delivery.
If this is not your first pregnancy, the number of doses of TT injection depends on the status in previous pregnancies and the duration between the two pregnancies.
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There are several scenarios:
If you haven’t had a tetanus vaccine in a previous pregnancy, you should receive two doses. For example, if you’ve had two doses of tetanus vaccine in previous pregnancies, and the interval between pregnancies is less than 3 years, you can only receive one dose of tetanus vaccine. This dose is called the second dose.booster.
Suppose you received two doses of TT vaccine in a previous pregnancy. The interval between pregnancies is more than 3 years. In this case, you should receive two doses of TT vaccine (complete vaccination).
Remember, getting a tetanus vaccine during pregnancy helps protect your baby from whooping cough (pertussis). Ideally, the vaccine should be given between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Most side effects from tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines , including vaccination during pregnancy, are usually mild or moderate and will resolve on their own.
The most common side effects include:
Erythema, swelling, pain, and tenderness at the injection site
Body ache
Fatigue
Fever
Serious side effects are very rare, especially in adults.
However, the injection area may feel sore after the TT injection.
The doctor will inject where he or she thinks it will be least painful, probably in one of your buttocks, but you may feel soreness at the injection site for a few days after getting it.
To relieve pain, and reduce swelling, apply an ice pack to the injection site.
Do not take ibuprofen for your pain relief, it is considered unsafe to take during pregnancy.
If you need painkillers, take the safe paracetamol instead.
But whenever possible, try to manage it without the help of painkillers and use ice to numb the area.
If the pain does not go away, you should consult a doctor.
CDC andAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(ACOG) considers the benefits of tetanus vaccination in twin pregnancies to outweigh the theoretical risk for severe hypersensitivity, due to more frequent administration of the tetanus component of the Tdap vaccine.
The study found that adults who received 2 tetanus shots in a short period (within 2 years) were no more likely than adults who received their first Tdap vaccine to have serious side effects.
Manufacturers now make this vaccine with a lower dose of the tetanus component than tetanus vaccines of the past.
Researchers believe this change likely reduces the risk of severe local reactions.
It is not recommended to refuse tetanus vaccination (Tdap vaccination) during pregnancy because it is safe for the mother and fetus.
Contrary to popular belief, this vaccine does not increase the risk of fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia , premature birth, or stillbirth.
Developmental risks in newborns have also not been identified.
TT injection during pregnancy is highly recommended to avoid this dangerous condition.
We never know when and how this infection can strike.
There are also recommendations for the right schedule to do it during pregnancy.
According to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, here is the recommended schedule:
TT Injection Dosage When giving Protection time
1 Before marriage or as soon as possible during the first trimester of pregnancy –
2 Approximately 4 weeks after TT1 1-3 years
3 Approximately 6 months after TT2 or during the next pregnancy approximately 5 years
4 Approximately 1 year after TT3 or during the next pregnancy approximately 10 years
5 Approximately 1 year after TT4 or during the next pregnancy for all fertile ages
Your doctor will prescribe you 2 doses of tetanus toxoid during pregnancy if this is your first pregnancy.
The first dose will be given in the third trimester, which is around the seventh month of pregnancy.
The second dose will be given 4 weeks after the first vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a third dose given six months after the second dose. This is intended to provide protection against tetanus bacteria for at least five years.
Some healthcare providers also prefer to give 3 doses, with the first at 28 weeks of pregnancy.
While some prefer the first trimester when all other tests are confirmed.
The doctor will check your entire vaccination history, then he will prescribe the appropriate TT pregnancy injection.
If your second pregnancy is within 2 years of your first pregnancy, and you received 2 doses of the vaccine in your first pregnancy, you will only receive 1 booster vaccine.
If your second pregnancy occurs after a long gap, the vaccination schedule will be different.
Getting vaccinated with the Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine during pregnancy is very important to ensure that both mother and child remain safe.
So if you are pregnant, get this vaccine and keep yourself and your baby safe.
Your doctor will prescribe 2 doses of tetanus toxoid in pregnancy, if it is your first pregnancy.
Dose 1 will be given in the 3rd trimester which will be around the 7th month of pregnancy.
The 2nd dose will be given after 4 weeks of the 1st TT.
WHO recommends a third dose given 6 months after the second TT dose. This is given as protection against tetanus bacteria, for at least 5 years.
Your doctor will review your entire vaccination history and then he will prescribe the appropriate TT pregnancy injection.
If your second pregnancy is within 2 years of your first pregnancy and you received 2 doses of the vaccine in your first pregnancy, you will only be given 1 vaccine.
If the second pregnancy occurs after a long gap, then the vaccination schedule will be different.
So, Tetanus Toxoid vaccination during pregnancy should not be ignored, Mom.
Don’t forget to always consult a doctor regarding your condition and vaccination history before doing so.
***
Why do I need the TT injection (TT vaccine) in pregnancy and when will I get it?www.babycenter.in/x1023109/why-do-i-need-the-tt-injection-tt-vaccine-in-pregnancy-and-when-will-i-get-it
Which vaccines during pregnancy are recommended and which ones should I avoid?www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/vaccines-during-pregnancy/faq-20057799
Pregnancy and Whooping Coughwww.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/hcp/vaccine-safety.html
Update on Immunization and Pregnancy: Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccinationwww.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2017/09/update-on-immunization-and-pregnancy-tetanus-diphtheria-and-pertussis-vaccination
Pregnancy vaccinationwww.drvarshaliclinic.com/learn/pregnancy/vaccine-for-pregnant-woman-TT-injection-and-more-pregnancy-vaccination
Vaccination During Pregnancymy.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9758-vaccination-during-pregnancy
Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccine During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?www.momjunction.com/articles/why-and-when-is-the-tetanus-toxoid-tt-vaccine-given-during-pregnancy_00101035/
Read full article on theAsianparent - Becoming A Mum
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