Many pregnant women not getting key vaccines, CDC says

A large number of pregnant women are not getting two critically important vaccines, according to new CDC data. The agency recommends that pregnant women get the pertussis-containing vaccine known as Tdap and a flu shot, which is also recommended annually for anyone over the age of 6 months. But survey data found that only about 55% of women reported getting a Tdap vaccination, while about 54% said they received a flu shot last year. And only about a third of women said they got both. Getting the Tdap vaccine helps protect babies from pertussis, also known as whooping cough, which can be deadly for infants. Pregnant women are especially susceptible to getting the flu: Between 2010-2018, pregnant women made up between 25%-33% of all flu-related hospitalizations among women of childbearing age.