How good is the nest protection against whooping cough?
In several studies it has been found that nest protection does not provide sufficient protection against pertussis infection. This is due to the fact that most pregnant women do not have a sufficiently high vaccination titre against whooping cough and therefore too few antibodies are transmitted via the blood of the umbilical cord in the last weeks before birth. However, since the first childhood vaccination against whooping cough is only possible from the second month of life, especially in the first 8 weeks of life one is particularly afraid of an infection with whooping cough, which can weaken the small babies considerably and in some cases can be accompanied by serious complications, such as seizures or respiratory arrest. It is therefore being discussed whether pregnant women in the last trimester of pregnancy should be vaccinated again against whooping cough so that antibody production is resumed and the child then has sufficient maternal antibodies to provide adequate protection until the first fetal vaccination.
Is it possible to vaccinate despite nest protection?
The nest-protection begins on average from the third life-month to diminish slowly and expires completely from the ninth life-month. It can only protect the babies from diseases that the mother herself has gone through or against which she herself is vaccinated. This is because only the maternal antibodies formed against these diseases can be transferred to the infant’s organism via the umbilical cord blood.
When the nest protection weakens, the passive immunization by the maternal antibodies also lapses and from the second year of life onwards, one infection often follows the other. This is especially the case if the baby has a sibling or is in contact with other babies, for example in a daycare center. To ensure that the child is adequately protected in this situation, babies should be vaccinated against the important childhood diseases while they are still protected in their nests.
It should also be remembered that some childhood diseases, such as whooping cough, can be accompanied by serious complications and that nest protection does not offer any protection against them. The STIKO (Standing Vaccination Commission) provides a vaccination calendar with recommendations, which parents can use to inform themselves about upcoming, important vaccinations and the optimal time to administer them. Only through the vaccinations the child’s immune system is trained and can mature further.Only after a successful basic vaccination are the corresponding antibodies against the pathogen causing the disease formed and can protect the child from disease in case of renewed contact. Nest protection offers a natural protective function, but is in no case as effective as sufficient protection as a result of a vaccination.
