There is a reason why pregnant women are advised to take tetanus shots during the second trimester. The tetanus toxoid or TT vaccine is given to safeguard the mother and the baby from a tetanus infection caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani which could be life threatening. However there are chances that one might just miss it or drop the idea altogether for the fear of injections. The best we can suggest is that every woman takes the two shots of tetanus during the second trimester of her pregnancy to save the fetus and herself from developing any infection