The vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough is given as an injection requiring 4 doses for the baby to be protected, but it is also indicated during pregnancy, for professionals working in clinics and hospitals and for all adolescents and adults who have close contact with the newborn.
This vaccine is also called the acellular vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTPa) and can be applied to the arm or thigh, by a nurse or doctor, at the clinic or at a private clinic.
Who should take
The vaccine is indicated for the prevention of diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in pregnant women and babies, but it must also be applied to all adolescents and adults who can come into contact with the baby at least 15 days before delivery. Thus, this vaccine can also be applied to the grandparents, uncles and cousins of the baby that will be born soon.
Vaccination of adults who will have close contact with the baby is important because whooping cough is a serious disease that leads to death, especially in babies less than 6 months old, who are always infected by people close to them. It is important to take this vaccine because whooping cough does not always show symptoms, and therefore the person may be infected and not know it.
Vaccination in pregnancy
The vaccine is indicated to be taken in pregnancy because it stimulates the woman's body to produce antibodies, which then pass to the baby through the placenta, protecting it. The vaccine is recommended between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, even if the woman has already had this vaccine in another pregnancy, or another dose before.
This vaccine prevents the development of serious infections, such as:
- Diphtheria: which causes symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, swelling of the neck and changes in the heartbeat; Tetanus: which can cause convulsions and muscle spasms very strong; Whooping cough : severe cough, runny nose and general malaise, being very severe in babies less than 6 months old.
Know all the vaccinations your baby needs to take: Baby vaccination schedule.
The dTpa vaccine is free, as it is part of the basic vaccination schedule for children and pregnant women.
How to take
The vaccine is applied through an injection into the muscle, and it is necessary to take the doses as follows:
- 1st dose: 2 months old; 2nd dose: 4 months old; 3rd dose: 6 months old; Reinforcements: at 15 months; at 4 years old and then every 10 years; In pregnancy: 1 dose from 27 weeks of gestation or up to 20 days before delivery, in each pregnancy; Health professionals working in maternity wards and neonatal ICUs should also receive 1 dose of the vaccine with booster every 10 years.
The most common body region for administering the vaccine to children over 1 year of age, is the deltoid muscle of the arm, since in the case of applying to the thigh it leads to difficulty walking due to muscle pain and, in most cases, at that age the child is already walking.
This vaccine can be administered at the same time as other vaccines in the childhood vaccination schedule, however it is necessary to use separate syringes and choose different places of application.
Possible side effects
For 24 to 48 hours the vaccine can cause pain, redness and lump formation at the injection site. In addition, fever, irritability and drowsiness may occur. To relieve these symptoms, ice can be applied to the vaccine site, as well as antipyretic remedies, such as Paracetamol, according to the doctor's guidance.
When you should not take
This vaccine is contraindicated for children who have had whooping cough, in case of anaphylactic reaction to previous doses; if symptoms of immunoallergic reaction appear, such as itching, red spots on the skin, formation of nodules on the skin; and in case of disease of the central nervous system; High fever; progressive encephalopathy or uncontrolled epilepsy.
