Immunization : A Guide towards better health |
Home
History of vaccination Principles of vaccination The main vaccines The vaccine calendar Vaccination of the child Vaccination of the pregnant woman Vaccination in the professionnal environment Vaccination of the traveller Development, marketing and assumption of responsibility of the vaccines in France Development of the vaccine policy in France Evaluation of the vaccination programs in France Bibliography Your feedback
|
|
| Version Française | | ||
![]() |
Vaccination of the pregnant womanIn many parts of the world, mothers give birth in unhygienic conditions. This puts both mother and child at risk of getting tetanus, a major killer of newborn infants. If a pregnant woman is not immunized against tetanus and tetanus bacteria or spores enter her body, her life will also be at risk. Tetanus bacteria or spores grow in dirty cuts. These germs can grow if the umbilical cord is cut with an unclean knife or if anything unclean touches the end of the cord. Any tool used to cut the cord should first be cleaned and then boiled or heated over a flame and allowed to cool. For the first week after birth, the baby's umbilical cord must be kept clean. All pregnant women should check to make sure they have been immunized against tetanus. This protects both mothers and their newborn babies. It is safe for a pregnant woman to be immunized against tetanus. She should be immunized according to this schedule:
If a girl or a woman has been vaccinated with five properly spaced doses, she is protected for her lifetime. Her children are also protected for the first few weeks of life. |
|
All the pregnant women must be protected from tetanus. Even if it were already vaccinated, a woman can need additional injections of antitetanus vaccine. Ask council an agent of health and inform you about antitetanus vaccination.
|
||