Maternal and infant outcomes among women vaccinated against pertussis during pregnancy

Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination is recommended for all women during each pregnancy to prevent pertussis in young infants. However, data on the safety of this protective measure are limited and conflicting. To assess maternal and infant outcomes associated with administration of this vaccine during pregnancy, we reviewed medical records of 1,759 women who delivered a singleton infant at a southeast Texas public hospital between November 1, 2012 and June 30, 2014. After excluding women who had inadequate prenatal care or who delivered at <27 weeks gestation, we used multivariable logistic regression analyses to compare 13 outcomes between those who did and did not receive the Tdap vaccine. We examined 6 maternal outcomes (chorioamnionitis, postpartum endometritis, preterm delivery, preterm premature rupture of membranes, induced labor, and mode of delivery) and 7 infant outcomes (low birth weight, very low birth weight, small for gestational age, 5-minute Apgar score, birth defects, and neonatal intensive care unit admission). Maternal Tdap vaccination was associated with decreased odds of cesarean delivery. No associations between maternal Tdap vaccination and infant outcomes were observed. This study demonstrates that Tdap vaccination during pregnancy does not increase the risk of adverse outcomes.