What is tdap vaccine used for

In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine. It is not known whether Tdap vaccine will harm an unborn baby. However, you may need a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy to protect your newborn baby from pertussis.

Young babies are most at risk for severe, life-threatening complications from pertussis. Your doctor should determine whether you need this vaccine during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of the Tdap vaccine on the baby. It is not known whether Tdap vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. The adult version of this vaccine Adacel, Boostrix should not be given to anyone under the age of Another vaccine is available for use in children younger than 10 years old. This vaccine is given as an injection shot into a muscle. You will receive this injection in a doctor's office or clinic setting.

Tdap vaccine is usually given as a one-time injection. Unless your doctor's tells you otherwise, you will not need a booster vaccine. Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity after receiving a Tdap vaccine. Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. If you ever need to receive a booster dose, you will need to tell your doctor if the previous shot caused any side effects.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life threatening allergic reaction after the first shot. Becoming infected with diphtheria, pertussis, or tetanus is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine.

However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction : hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these side effects within 7 days after receiving Tdap vaccine:. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received. Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:. If you are using any of these medications, you may not be able to receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

This list is not complete. Although the risk of having a severe allergic reaction to a Tdap vaccine is very low, certain people should avoid getting the Tdap vaccine, including:. You can also reach out to federally funded health centers as well as your state health department to learn where to get a vaccine near you.

Getting a Tdap vaccine is an important part of maintaining your health as well as the health of infants. Reach out to your healthcare professional on a regular basis to make sure that your Tdap vaccinations are up to date. Tdap and DTaP are two vaccines that both protect against three diseases: Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

Learn more…. What may seem like a normal cold to you could actually be whooping cough. Learn why you can still get this contagious disease, even if you were…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What is it? What is the Tdap vaccine? What are the possible side effects of the Tdap vaccine?

Cost of a Tdap vaccine. Tdap vaccine during pregnancy. Tdap vaccination schedule. Who should get the Tdap vaccine? Who should avoid getting the Tdap vaccine? Where to get it. Uncategorized Parenthood Baby. Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis are very serious diseases.

Tdap vaccine can protect us from these diseases. And, Tdap vaccine given to pregnant women can protect newborn babies against pertussis. It causes painful muscle tightening and stiffness, usually all over the body. It can lead to tightening of muscles in the head and neck so you can't open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Tetanus kills about 1 out of 10 people who are infected even after receiving the best medical care.

It can cause a thick coating to form in the back of the throat. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and death. It can also lead to weight loss, incontinence, and rib fractures. Up to 2 in adolescents and 5 in adults with pertussis are hospitalized or have complications, which could include pneumonia or death.

These diseases are caused by bacteria. Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person through secretions from coughing or sneezing. Tetanus enters the body through cuts, scratches, or wounds. Before vaccines, as many as , cases a year of diphtheria, , cases of pertussis, and hundreds of cases of tetanus, were reported in the United States each year. Tdap vaccine can protect adolescents and adults from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

One dose of Tdap is routinely given at age 11 or People who did not get Tdap at that age should get it as soon as possible.

Tdap is especially important for health care professionals and anyone having close contact with a baby younger than 12 months. Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during every pregnancy, to protect the newborn from pertussis. Infants are most at risk for severe, life-threatening complications from pertussis. Another vaccine, called Td, protects against tetanus and diphtheria, but not pertussis. A Td booster should be given every 10 years. Tdap may be given as one of these boosters if you have never gotten Tdap before.