On January 6, CDC published a study providing further evidence that Tdap vaccination during pregnancy helps protect newborns from whooping cough during their first two months of life, when they are most vulnerable to the disease.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is highly contagious and can be especially serious for infants who aren’t old enough to be vaccinated. CDC scientists tracked reports of infant whooping cough cases between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019. They found an association between reduced rates of whooping cough in newborns younger than two months old and Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. These findings further support CDC’s recommendation for Tdap vaccination during weeks 27–36 of each pregnancy.
Read the full CDC press release at Whooping Cough Vaccination during Pregnancy Benefits US Infants.