Maternal and neonatal immunization refers to immunization prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy, and during the post-partum period that is intended to provide protection to both the mother and her child.
This is a critical concept, as neonates and premature infants are particularly vulnerable to infections with vaccine-preventable diseases. Additionally, their immature immune systems cannot mount protective immune responses to specific vaccine antigens until several weeks or months after birth. This creates a gap during which newborns are extremely vulnerable.
Maternal and neonatal immunization has the potential to lessen early childhood morbidity and even mortality. Infections such as influenza, tetanus, and pertussis are associated with adverse outcomes in young infants—i.e., prior to initiation or completion of the primary infant immunization series.
Approximately 40% of childhood deaths worldwide occur in the neonatal period, and many of these deaths are due to infections that can be prevented through existing or future maternal vaccines.
Immunization during pregnancy not only protects the mother but also protects the fetus by allowing high concentrations of protective antibodies to be transferred transplacentally. As such, it provides the neonate with a maternal source of protection against disease until active immunization of the infant can take place. Maternal immunization is particularly important when considering vaccine-preventable diseases, such as influenza, tetanus and pertussis, for which there are no other options for protecting infants too young to be vaccinated.
