Can I get tetanus during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, pregnant women should not only pay attention to their living and eating conditions, but also be careful not to get injured or bleed in daily life. And if a person is injured by rusty nails or other iron products, he or she must get a tetanus shot, otherwise the infection with tetanus bacteria will have a serious impact on a person's body. If a pregnant woman has the above injuries, can she get a tetanus shot during pregnancy?

Can pregnant women get tetanus?

You can get a tetanus shot.

The main ingredient of the tetanus shot is equine tetanus immunoglobulin digested by gastric enzymes. Generally, the vaccination has no effect on the fetus and can also prevent diseases caused by tetanus in pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women can get tetanus shots.

Why pregnant women need tetanus

Tetanus refers to an acute infectious disease in which Clostridium tetani invades the wounds of the human body, grows and multiplies in an anaerobic environment, produces neurotropic exotoxins, and thus causes systemic muscle rigidity and spasm. Simply put, it causes a poisoning reaction in the human nervous system.

Once tetanus symptoms appear at the wound, if not treated in time, it may develop into muscle rigidity. Severe patients may eventually die from laryngeal spasm or secondary severe lung infection. The mortality rate is as high as 40%, which seriously endangers human health.

If a pregnant woman develops tetanus, the toxin may infect the fetus through the umbilical cord, directly threatening the safety of the fetus. Therefore, for the sake of the fetus, pregnant women should be vaccinated against tetanus.

How to get tetanus vaccine during pregnancy

1. If a pregnant woman has been vaccinated against tetanus before becoming pregnant, then as long as she is given a shot of tetanus vaccine in the early stages of pregnancy and 3 weeks before delivery, her body will soon have enough tetanus antibodies, and the fetus will also obtain this protective antibody through the placenta, thereby preventing neonatal tetanus.

2. If the pregnant woman has not received tetanus vaccine, she needs to receive another shot 4 weeks after the first injection.

Precautions for tetanus injection during pregnancy

1. Pregnant women must undergo a skin test before receiving tetanus vaccine to avoid allergies.

2. During the tetanus vaccination period, pregnant women should ensure a light and simple diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and avoid strenuous exercise.

3. If a pregnant woman is accidentally cut by a sharp object, she should first clean and disinfect the skin, and then get a tetanus shot.