Should you worry if you have missed your tetanus shots during pregnancy?

Here is what you should do if you missed your tetanus shots during the second trimester.

Debjani Arora | Published: July 13, 2016 6:35 pm

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,’ says Dr Meghana Sarvaiya, Consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician, Cloudnine Hospital, Mumbai. Remember, pregnancy is the time when a woman’s immunity hits a low and so taking the right precaution is crucial.

A tetanus infection can affect a person’s nervous system and can be dangerous. The antibodies formed after the vaccination provide protection to the baby even few months after birth. So, if you have missed on your tetanus shots, here are few things that you should do:

Talk to your doctor soon and check if you can get the shot as soon as possible.
If you have taken the first shot and missed the second one on the same date the next month, don’t worry, go and get the second one. You need to get your shots a little more than a month apart. It is fine to take it within a week’s time of your scheduled date.
Visit your doctor if you get any injury or bruises any time during your pregnancy and haven’t taken a tetanus shot. If you get a cut due to a rusty iron or blade, rush to your doctor immediately. This could increase your chances of suffering from a tetanus infection which can be passed on to the baby.

However, to avoid any mishaps, it is better you take both your shots on time and keep your baby safe.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published: July 13, 2016 6:35 pm

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