Protecting Your Baby From Whooping Cough

Whooping cough, sometimes called pertussis, is a serious disease that can cause babies to stop breathing.  While we used to think of this as a disease of the past, it's making a comeback. Babies must be 2 months old before they can be vaccinated, but you can avoid that gap in protection by getting the whooping cough vaccine yourself, while pregnant.  The shot is called Tdap because it protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.  You should get this in your third trimester, preferably between your 27th and 36th week of pregnancy. By getting vaccinated, you will pass antibodies to your baby so your baby is born with protection against whooping cough.  For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/whoopingcough