Anti-vaccine nonsense and pro-vaccine sense alike, frequently fail to mention the tiniest of humans who are particularly vulnerable to disease….the newborns! These newbies to the world don’t even start their pertussis vaccine series until they are 2 months old! In order to protect them, cocooning and herd immunity are important, but now expectant mothers can lend even more assistance by sharing some of their own anti-pertussis antibodies to provide some protection in the interim.
The CDC says pregnant women should receive the Tdap vaccine between the 27th and 36th week. The recommendation is supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Nurse-Midwives. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/15/parents-whooping-cough-vaccines-may-protect-babies/