Whooping Cough Shot Is Safe For Pregnant Women, Study Finds

The whooping cough vaccine is safe for pregnant women, a new study indicates. The researchers also found the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, which protects against whooping cough, is critical for the health of newborns that are particularly vulnerable to the illness. The Tdap vaccine is currently recommended for all pregnant women in the United States. For the study, the researchers reviewed outcomes from nearly 1,800 births. They compared more than 1,100 cases involving a mother who was vaccinated against whooping cough with 650 women who weren't immunized.