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Q&A with Baylor experts focuses on impact of pertussis vaccine

A new report from Baylor College of Medicine researchers finds mothers given the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy pass their immunity on to their newborns, protecting the child from tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis during their first few months of life.

“Our study, which started in 2009, provides important information about how to prevent pertussis in babies who are at the greatest risk for complications and death from this disease because they are not getting protection from their mothers’ antibodies and are too young to have received their DTaP vaccine,” said Dr. Flor Muñoz, associate professor of pediatrics – infectious diseases at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital, the first author of the study.

Muñoz, along with Dr. Carol J. Baker, professor of pediatrics at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital and senior investigator of the study, answered questions about the study and its impact. Watch below:

Read more about the study.

-By Andy Phifer

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