Hospitals and Physicians Can Prevent Pertussis (Whooping Cough) with Tdap Vaccine

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has reported a neonatal death from pertussis (whooping cough). To guard your patients against pertussis, note the following recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices:

• When possible, women should receive the Tdap (tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis) vaccine before becoming pregnant.
• If a woman is pregnant, she should talk with her maternity health care provider about the vaccine and the various schedules of immunization.
• Women, including those who are breastfeeding, should receive a dose of Tdap in the immediate postpartum period if they have not previously received Tdap.
• Ideally, the postpartum Tdap should be administered before the woman is discharged from the hospital or birthing center.
• Tdap is also recommended for those who will be coming into close contact with newborns and babies less than 12 months old, such as parents, grandparents, childcare providers, and health care professionals who are less than 65 years old.