Tdap Vaccination During Pregnancy: More Reassurance About Birth Defects

Two immunizations are specifically recommended during pregnancy: influenza vaccine because consequences of influenza may be severe for pregnant women and vaccine-induced antibodies can protect newborns from influenza; and tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine because maternal antibodies provide protection against neonatal pertussis.

To further establish the safety of immunization with Tdap vaccine during pregnancy — specifically to address whether immunization is associated with excess risk for structural birth defects, including microcephaly — researchers examined prospective data from almost 325,000 singleton live births in six states from 2007 to 2013. Some 13% of newborns were exposed to Tdap vaccine prenatally, and…