Pertussis vax in third trimester best

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) believes that third trimester immunisation gives superior protection to mother and newborn, according to  Professor Peter McIntyre, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS).

He said ATAGI has agreed to update the current recommendations in the 10th edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook, calling for postpartum vaccination only if the mother was not vaccinated against pertussis in the third trimester.