Why do pregnant women need tetanus vaccine?

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During pregnancy, in addition to maintaining a scientific lifestyle, having a suitable diet, it is very important to vaccinate both pregnant women and fetuses, especially tetanus shots. .

1. What is tetanus?

Tetanus - also known as tetanus - is a disease causing convulsions, muscle stiffness caused by exotoxins of the tetanus bacillus Clostridium tetani. Tetanus bacilli are ubiquitous in the environment and can infect healthy people through open wounds. In particular, the survival ability of tetanus bacteria is very strong. Boiling, sterilizing for a long time still may not completely eliminate tetanus bacteria.
Symptoms of the disease are muscle spasms with pain, first in the chewing muscles, facial muscles, neck muscles, then spreading to the body muscles. Tetanus is a dangerous disease with a high mortality rate, especially in pregnant women and infants.

2. Why should pregnant women vaccinate against tetanus?

In pregnant women, tetanus bacteria can enter during delivery through the genital tract and cause uterine tetanus. As for newborns, tetanus bacteria easily penetrate at the site of cutting and tying the umbilical cord, leading to neonatal tetanus infection. Once the bacteria invade the body, they produce a toxin called tetanospasmin that enters the bloodstream. This toxin causes children to have respiratory failure, nervous system disorders and leads to death if not detected and treated promptly.
Newborns are susceptible to tetanus if during pregnancy the pregnant mother has not been vaccinated against the disease, so she does not receive immunity from the mother. Therefore, at childbearing age, women should be vaccinated against tetanus to comprehensively protect mother and baby, prepare for the time of labor and childbirth.
According to doctors, tetanus injection helps the mother make antibodies first, avoiding infection and disease during labor. In addition, vaccination also supports children, minimizing the risk of tetanus infection after birth. Tetanus vaccine for pregnant women has been tested to be safe for mother and baby, does not affect the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women should carry out vaccination according to the instructions of medical staff.

3. Time to vaccinate against tetanus for pregnant women

Pregnant women should follow the vaccination schedule of the health center based on the stage of their pregnancy. Regarding the vaccination time, Circular 38/2017/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health stipulates as follows:
People who have not been vaccinated, have not had 3 doses of vaccine or have no known history of vaccination should get tetanus vaccine. according to the following schedule: 1st time: Early injection when pregnant for the first time; 2nd time: At least 1 month after the first injection; 3rd time: At least 6 months after the 2nd injection or in the following pregnancy; 4th time: At least 1 year after the 3rd injection or in the following pregnancy; 5th time: At least 1 year after the 4th injection or in the following pregnancy. People who have had 3 doses of tetanus vaccine containing the basic dose components should be vaccinated according to the following schedule: 1st time: Early in the first pregnancy; 2nd time: At least 1 month after the 1st injection; 3rd time: At least 1 year after the 2nd injection. For people who have had 3 doses of tetanus vaccine containing the basic dose component and have received 1 booster dose, they should inject according to the following schedule: 1st time: Early in the first pregnancy; 2nd time: At least 1 year after the 1st injection. For women who are pregnant for the first time, have never been vaccinated against tetanus, have not had 3 basic doses or have no known history of vaccination, 2 doses will be given at the following times: 1st dose: 1st dose: When the pregnancy is over 20 weeks ; 2nd dose: Inject at least 30 days after the 1st dose or at least 30 days before giving birth. Women who have had 4 tetanus vaccinations and are pregnant for the second time with the last shot before 10 years do not need a tetanus booster. If the vaccination period is after 10 years, 2 booster doses of tetanus should be given. If in the previous pregnancy, the mother received 2 doses of tetanus vaccine no more than 10 years ago, she should get 1 dose of the vaccine from the 20th week of pregnancy onwards.

4. Note when tetanus vaccination for pregnant women

Pregnant women are absolutely not allowed to voluntarily vaccinate against tetanus, but should strictly adhere to the vaccination schedule according to their pregnancy stage or the schedule of the medical center; There is no need to worry too much when you feel pain at the injection site, fever, headache, allergies, ... after the injection because this is when the tetanus vaccine begins to form antibodies to protect the body from the risk of infection. . These symptoms are usually not serious and will pass quickly. The swelling and pain will go away on its own, no need to use medicine or apply to the injection site; 2 weeks after vaccination, the body produces tetanus antibodies. Therefore, in order for the vaccine to be highly effective in preventing disease, women should not drink alcohol after the injection and strictly follow the doctor's instructions; If a pregnant woman receiving the second tetanus injection has symptoms such as cold limbs, pale skin, diarrhea, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, etc., she should immediately go to the hospital for timely intervention and treatment. avoid post-injection anaphylaxis; Should choose a reputable medical facility, certified by the Ministry of Health for vaccination when administering tetanus vaccine to ensure safety for pregnant women and fetuses. Tetanus is one of the most worrying health problems for pregnant women and babies. Therefore, tetanus vaccination for pregnant women is extremely important to ensure maximum prevention of the risk of unpredictable complications during labor. When vaccinated against tetanus, pregnant women need to strictly follow the instructions of medical staff on the dose and time of vaccination.

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