Session 5: Week 26 - Are You Too Sweet
Upcoming Tests
Second and Third Trimester Testing (24-28 weeks)
1. Complete Blood Count - screening for anemia and blood disorders
2. Glucose Tolerance Test - screening for gestational diabetes
3. HIV repeat test - standardized for protection of all babies
4. Antibody testing if RH Negative
Immunization
Q: Should I get the flu shot?
A: Yes, it is recommended.
Q: Should I get a Tdap?
A: Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during every pregnancy, to protect the newborn from whooping cough (pertussis). Infants are most at risk for severe, life-threatening complications from whooping cough.
Immunization – Tdap and Td Vaccine for Adults
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.
Immunization – You can start protecting your baby from whooping cough from CDC - (See Below)
Whooping cough, sometimes called pertussis, is a serious disease that can cause babies to stop breathing. Unfortunately, babies must be 2 months old before they can start getting their whooping cough vaccine. The good news is you can avoid this gap in protection by getting a whooping cough vaccine called Tdap during your pregnancy. The recommended time to get the shot is your 27th through 36th week of pregnancy, preferable during the earlier part of this time period. By getting vaccinated, you will pass antibodies to your baby so he or she is born with protection against whooping cough.
When you get Tdap vaccine during your third trimester, your baby will be born with protection against whooping cough.
Why do I need to get Tdap vaccine while I am pregnant?
CDC recommends Tdap vaccine during your third trimester so that your body can create antibodies and pass them to your baby before birth. These antibodies will help protect your newborn right after birth and until your baby gets his own first whooping cough vaccine at 2 months. During the first few months of life, your baby is most vulnerable to serious complications from this disease.
Is this vaccine safe for me and my baby?
Yes, Tdap vaccine is very safe for you and your baby. The most common side effects are mild, like redness, swelling or pain where the shot is given in the arm. This should go away within a few days. You cannot get whooping cough from the vaccine. The vaccine does not contain any live bacteria.
Doctors and midwives who specialize in caring for pregnant women agree that Tdap vaccine is safe and important to get during the third trimester of each pregnancy. Getting the vaccine during pregnancy does not put you at increased risk for pregnancy complications like low birth weigh or preterm delivery.
If I recently got this vaccine, why do I need it again?
The amount of antibodies in your body is highest about 2 weeks after getting the vaccine but then starts to decrease over time. That is why the vaccine is recommended during every pregnancy - so that each of your babies gets the greatest number of protective antibodies form you and the best protection possible against this disease.
Are babies even getting whooping cough anymore in the U.S.?
Yes. In fact, babies are at greatest risk for getting whooping cough. We used to think of this as a disease of the past, but it's still common in the U.S. Recently, we saw the most cases we had seen in 60 years. Cases, which typically include people of all ages, are reported in every state. Typically, more than 1,000 babies younger than 2 months old are diagnosed with whooping cough each year in the U.S.
How dangerous is whooping cough for babies?
Whooping cough is very serious for babies. Many babies with whooping cough don't cough at all. Instead it can cause them to stop breathing. In the U.S., about half of babies younger than 1 year old who get whooping cough are hospitalized. About 7 in 10 deaths from whooping cough are among babies younger than 2 months old. These babies are too young to be protected by their own vaccination.
How could my baby be exposed to whooping cough?
Whooping cough spreads from person to person when coughing or sneezing. It also spreads when people spend a lot of time together or share breathing space, like when you hold your newborn on your chest. Some people with whooping cough may just have a mild cough or what seems like a common cold. Sincy sympotpms can vary, children and adults may not know they have whooping cough and can end up spreading it to babies they are in close contact with.
Why is the vaccine recommended during pregnancy instead of in the hospital after my baby is born?
When you get Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you will pass protective antibodies to your baby before birth, so both you and your baby have protection. Tdap vaccine used to be recommended for women to get in the hospital after giving birth. This helped protect moms from getting whooping cough but did not directly protect babies.
Is it safe to breastfeed after getting Tdap vaccine?
Yes. In fact, you can pass some whooping cough protection to your baby by breastfeeding. When you get Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you will have protective antibodies in your breas milk that you can share with your baby as soon as your milk comes in. However, your baby will not get protective antibodies immediately if you wait to get Tdap until after you give birth. This is because it takes about 2 weeks after getting vaccinated before your body develops antibodies.
Where can I go for more information?
Pregnancy and Whooping Cough website
To learn more about vaccines during pregnancy, visit the CDCs vaccine page.
Mom: Only you can provide your newborn baby with the best protection possible against whooping cough.
You may have heard that your baby's father, grandparents, and others who will be in contact with your baby will need to get their whooping cough vaccine as well. The strategy of surrounding babies with protection against whooping cough is called "cocooning." However, cocooning may not be enough to prevent whooping cough illness and death. This is because cocooning does not provide any direct protection (antibodies) to your baby, and it can be difficult to make sure everyone who is around your baby has gotten their whooping cough vaccine. Since cocooning does not completely protect babies from whooping cough, it is even more important that you get the vaccine while you are pregnant.
Fetal Movement
Fetal movements are the kicks, rolls, and hiccups of your unborn baby. You may start to feel these movements when you are 20 weeks pregnant. Fetal movements show that your unborn baby is getting the oxygen and nutrients he needs before birth.Fewer fetal movements may signal a problem with your baby’s health.
Normal fetal movement
Fetal activity can be described by 4 states, from least to most active. During quiet sleep, your unborn baby may be still for up to 2 hours.
During active sleep, he kicks, rolls, and moves often. During the quiet awake state, he may only move his eyes. The active awake state includes strong kicks and rolls.
What affects fetal movement
You may feel your baby move more after you eat, or after you drink caffeine. You may feel your baby move less while you are more active, such as when you exercise. You may also feel fewer movements if you are obese. Certain medicines can change your baby’s movements. Tell your health care provider about the medicines you are taking.
Track fetal movements at home
Fetal movement is most often felt when you lie quietly on your side. Your health care provider may ask you to count movements for 2 hours. He may ask you to track how long it takes for your baby to move 10 times. Keep a log of your baby’s movements.
Contact your health care provider or obstetrician if:
- It takes longer than usual to feel 10 of your unborn baby’s movements.
- You do not feel your unborn baby move at least 10 times in 2 hours.
- The skin on your hands, feet, and around your eyes is more swollen than usual.
- You have a headache for at least 24 hours.
- Tiny red dots appear on your skin.
- Your belly is tender when you press on it.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Return to the emergency department if:
- You do not feel your unborn baby move for 12 hours
- You feel cramping or constant pain in your abdomen
- You have heavy bleeding from your vagina.
- You have a severe headache and cannot see clearly.
- You are having trouble breathing or are vomiting.
- You have a seizure.
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.
Glucose Test – Oral Glucose Tolerance Test During Pregnancy
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.
Common Discomforts – Round Ligament Pain
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.
Common Discomfort’s – 3rd Trimester Pregnancy
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.
Physiologic Changes – Pregnancy at 27 to 30 Weeks
You will receive this information in your AVS (after-visit summary). Your AVS is available in MyChart, or you may request a printed version from your provider.