Pregnant women told to take whooping cough vaccine
Posted at: 02/18/2013 3:00 PM
By: The Associated Press
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Health officials in New Mexico are recommending that all pregnant women get a vaccine to guard against the spread of whooping cough.
The recommendation on Monday by the New Mexico Department of Health is intended to prevent the spread of the disease to children who are vulnerable to whooping cough.
Eight hundred seventy-four whooping cough cases were reported to health officials in New Mexico in 2012.
That's three times more cases than were reported in 2011. New Mexico had two whooping cough-related deaths in 2012.
The New Mexico Department of Health recommends that all pregnant women receive the Tdap booster after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Health officials say the Tdap vaccine also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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