Pertussis immunization in a high-risk postpartum population

C Mary Healy1, Marcia A Rench, Luis A Castagnini

  • 1Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States. chealy@bcm.edu

Vaccine
|August 4, 2009
PubMed

We provided CDC recommended postpartum tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunization to medically underserved, uninsured women in Houston through a standing order protocol. From January 7-April 30, 2008, 1129 of 1570 (72%) postpartum women (93% Hispanic; 11% < or = 19 years) received Tdap before hospital discharge. Tdap uptake was 96.2% in women without self-reported contraindications. Recall of immunization history was inaccurate in 32% of unimmunized women who reported receiving antepartum immunization. Black women refused Tdap more often than other ethnicities (24% versus 8%; P=0.003). Postpartum Tdap immunization was successfully implemented in a high-risk population through a standing order protocol. Barriers to postpartum immunization include inaccurate immunization history and the need for ongoing targeted education.

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