Pregnant women are recommended to get vaccinated tetanus toxoid (TT). This is considering that tetanus is still a health problem in Indonesia, the impact of which can pose a risk of death of newborns.
It is important for mothers to know that the TT vaccine is safe to give to pregnant women. Besides being able to reduce the risk of tetanus to the mother and fetus in the womb, this vaccine can also prevent the occurrence of tetanus in newborns (tetanus neonatorum).
The Reasons Behind the Importance of Getting the TT Vaccine
Tetanus is a common disease in developing countries. The cause is poison from bacteria Clostridium tetani.
These bacteria can enter the body through wounds contaminated with soil or animal waste, or wounds from rusty objects. However, tetanus bacteria are more commonly infected through deep wounds, such as wounds from punctures or bites.
Meanwhile, for the case of tetanus in newborns, infection can occur due to an unhygienic delivery process, for example due to cutting the umbilical cord with unsterile cutting tools. After entering the baby's body, bacteria C. tetani can spread and cause complications that can lead to infant death.
Therefore, it is important for pregnant women to receive the TT vaccine. This tetanus vaccine will form antibodies which are then passed on to the fetus as a form of natural protection against tetanus during pregnancy until several months after birth.
Giving TT Vaccine to Pregnant Women
Tetanus vaccines can be given at health centers, posyandu, vaccination clinics, or hospitals. In the first pregnancy, the doctor will recommend pregnant women to undergo at least 2 injections of the tetanus vaccine, with an interval of 4 weeks. The time of administration will be determined by the doctor.
However, if the pregnant woman has never had the tetanus vaccine before or the vaccination history is unknown, the tetanus vaccine should be given 3 times, with the initial administration as early as possible. The distance between the first and second injections is 4 weeks, while the distance between the second and third injections is 6 months.
If the pregnant woman becomes pregnant again within two years after giving birth to her first child, the administration of the tetanus vaccine will depend on the pregnant woman's vaccination history. If in the first pregnancy, the pregnant woman has received 2 injections of the tetanus vaccine, the doctor will only recommend a booster injection of the vaccine or booster.
The tetanus vaccine can be in the form of a TT vaccine or a Tdap vaccine (a combination of tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine). The Tdap vaccine can be given to children over the age of 10 and adults, including pregnant women.
After the tetanus immunization, you may experience some side effects, such as temporary pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site, fever, and headache. However, these side effects do not always appear and may go away on their own.
Do the tetanus vaccination according to the doctor's advice, pregnant women. The TT vaccine can prevent tetanus infection in pregnant women themselves and their little ones. In addition, give birth with the assistance of a midwife or doctor, so that the risk of tetanus can be minimized.