Why are vaccinations given during pregnancy?
Infections that a pregnant woman may have can affect the baby, as well as the protective effects of vaccines, namely antibodies, that the mother has, can pass on to the baby. If certain microbes cause infection in newborns in the first months, it can be very deadly. For example, tetanus microbes can cause newborn infections that are fatal at rates of up to 70%.
Some infections during pregnancy are more severe and can put the mother's life in danger. For example, hepatitis infections during pregnancy are more severe.
For all these reasons, vaccination during pregnancy is very important in order to provide the baby with antibodies that will protect him/her in the first months after birth and to protect the expectant mother.
Vaccines are classified according to the source from which they are produced. Vaccines produced from dead viruses or bacteria can be administered during pregnancy. Vaccines called toxoid vaccines, which are obtained by changing the effects of harmful substances produced by microbes, are also safe during pregnancy. However, vaccines made from live viruses or bacteria are not administered during pregnancy. Because these vaccines themselves can cause serious infections in the pregnant woman or the baby when administered. For example, rubella and chickenpox vaccines are in this group and are not administered during pregnancy.
Is Hepatitis B vaccination given during pregnancy?
Hepatitis B infection occurs when the hepatitis B virus settles in liver cells and causes damage. It is usually transmitted through blood, body fluids or sex. 90% heal on its own, but it becomes chronic in 10% of patients and these patients remain carriers. Some of them may develop liver cancer in the following years.
It is possible to protect against this disease, which can cause such significant and serious damage, with a simple vaccination schedule. In our country, all newborns are now routinely vaccinated in the first month to protect them from this disease. However, if the mother-to-be is a hepatitis B carrier, the baby is both vaccinated and reinforced with a serum containing antibodies against this virus within the first 12 hours after birth. In this way, infection that can be transmitted through breast milk is prevented.
If the prospective father is a carrier and the pregnant woman is not immune, Hepatitis B vaccination must be administered during pregnancy. This vaccine can usually be administered after the second trimester.
Even if there is no risk, if the expectant mother wishes or if her doctor deems it appropriate, Hepatitis B vaccination can be easily administered during pregnancy.
Should I get a tetanus shot?
Since the tetanus microbe is very deadly when it causes infection in newborns, it is considered beneficial to protect the pregnant woman. It is safely applied in family medicine centers in our country. It is usually applied in two doses, in the 20th week of pregnancy and in the following month. If the pregnant woman has been vaccinated in the last 5 years, a single dose will be sufficient. No negative effects of the vaccine on the baby have been detected.
Can I get a flu shot during pregnancy?
This upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus called influenza is more severe during pregnancy. The vaccine obtained from the virus strains most common the previous year in the autumn months each year is of a type that can be administered during pregnancy. It can be administered to pregnant women who will spend the second and third months of pregnancy in the winter season when this infection is common.
What is blood incompatibility during pregnancy?
The cells that carry oxygen in the blood in humans are called erythrocytes. They are also called red blood cells. These cells have many proteins on their surfaces. These proteins have antigenic properties and determine the blood type of that person according to their type. Antigens of type A and B are the main blood group determinants. If one of these antigens is found, it is considered as group A or B, if both are found, it is considered as group AB, and if neither is found, it is considered as group 0 (zero).
Another type of antigen that determines blood type is the Rhesus (Rh) antigen. The presence of this antigen on erythrocyte cells is called the Rh+ blood group, and its absence is called the Rh- blood group. If a person with the Rh- blood group encounters Rh+ blood cells, their body develops antibodies, or offensive weapons, against the Rh antigen. These antibodies attack the Rh+ cells and try to destroy them.
If the partner of a pregnant woman with Rh- blood type is Rh+, then there is a blood incompatibility. In the opposite case, no problem occurs because the expectant mother cannot develop antibodies if she is Rh+. If a pregnant woman with blood incompatibility has encountered Rh+ blood cells in a previous pregnancy or due to a previous blood transfusion, she will have these types of antibodies. These antibodies can pass through the placenta and reach the fetus. If the baby has inherited the father's blood type and is Rh+, these antibodies attack his blood cells and cause them to collapse. Therefore, the baby in the womb will be seriously affected, develop anemia, i.e. anemia. In some cases, the baby may die in the womb. Therefore, blood group determination and, if any, blood incompatibility must be determined during pregnancy.
When a couple with blood incompatibility is expecting a baby, a test called Indirect Coombs (IDC) is performed on the expectant mother to determine whether she has antibodies against the Rh antigen. This test provides information about whether there has been a previous encounter. Since the baby's blood type is unknown while in the womb, it is considered Rh+. If the IDC test is negative, meaning there is no antibody, an injection called Anti D immunoglobulin is administered in the 28th week of pregnancy. The aim is to prevent the blood cells that can be transferred to the mother if the baby is Rh+ by covering them in a way. Some doctors prefer to repeat the IDC test during pregnancy and follow the baby with Doppler ultrasonography instead of performing this injection.
After the baby is born, the blood type is determined immediately. If the baby is Rh+, the Anti D immunoglobulin injection is given to the mother as soon as possible. In this way, the baby's blood cells that are likely to be transferred to the mother during birth are prevented from forming antibodies in the mother. The aim is to protect the next pregnancy from danger. This injection should be administered within the first 72 hours after birth so that its protective effect can be realized. Otherwise, the mother's body has time to develop antibodies against Rh+ cells.
Anti D injection is administered to the pregnant woman even in cases of minor and small amounts of bleeding during pregnancy. Also, if the pregnancy ends in a miscarriage in the early stages, Anti D injection is administered for safety reasons since the baby's blood type cannot be determined.
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