Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy: how many pediatric hospitalizations could be prevented?

Minerva Ginecol. 2019 Jun;71(3):245-248. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4784.19.04378-8.

Abstract

Pertussis is a severe disease in children, especially in neonates and it is preventable by vaccination during pregnancy. After the observation of a 2-month-old toddler who needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe RSV plus Bordetella pertussis infection, we performed a review of all cases of pertussis admitted at the Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, from 2012 to 2018. We retrieved 72 cases of admission for pertussis, 46% aging less than 3 months, 42% with at least one comorbidity. Two patients needed ICU admission. Pertussis vaccination during pregnancy could contribute to reduce this burden of hospitalizations in youngest subjects.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Pertussis Vaccine*
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Care*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Vaccination*
  • Whooping Cough / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Pertussis Vaccine