Protecting infants from pertussis
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The New Straits Times reports on the importance of maternal Tdap immunisation in protecting infants from pertussis, also known as whooping cough. Since its integration into routine antenatal care in Malaysia, pregnant women between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy are routinely offered the Tdap vaccine. Dr Jamiyah Hassan, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, highlights the severity of pertussis in newborns and young babies, who can suffer from severe coughing, breathing difficulties, pneumonia, and even convulsions, brain damage, and death.
By receiving the Tdap vaccination during pregnancy, mothers pass on protective antibodies to their foetus through the placenta, providing crucial protection for infants during the first few months of life. The positive response from expectant mothers to this initiative demonstrates a growing awareness and commitment to safeguarding their babies' health.
Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
