Tdap vaccine for mom can protect baby from whooping cough

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is an infectious disease that begins like a cold. Someone with pertussis usually has a runny nose and cough. As the cough gets worse, it can last up to six weeks or more. Often parents don’t realize they are carrying the disease, so they unknowingly pass it on to their infant. Most babies who get pertussis get it from a family member who has it. It can make them very sick, and could potentially may cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death. The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated with either the Tdap (for older children and adults) or DTaP (for infants and children) vaccines. 

A Tdap vaccine is very safe for pregnant women. You cannot get whooping cough from a Tdap vaccine. Getting the vaccine during pregnancy will not increase your risk for pregnancy complications and will protect your baby once born from getting pertussis spread from his or her family member(s)