It is a well established fact that a mother’s immunity is passed on to her infant. Whatever the mother is protected against, the infant is protected against. There is great promise in the future that infants could be protected against several viruses via their mothers. As an added benefit, the mother and the infant will be protected and the occurrence of illness could be reduced with maternal viral immunization. Aside from the usual vaccines like polio and rubella, illnesses such as influenza, herpes, human immunodeficiency virus, and respiratory viruses could be treated or prevented.
Maternal viral immunization is effective because immunoglobulin is one of the substances that can pass through the placenta. IgG is the only type of antibody that can pass through the placenta. It does so by attaching to receptors on the placenta then passes through. These antibodies will protect the infant through the most delicate time, the first month. Infants do not respond well to vaccines in that first month because their immune systems are not fully developed and don’t respond to vaccines like a more mature immune system. In that first month, the infant is protected by the passive immunity of the mother. After that period, the infant is capable of developing its own immunity and can effectively be vaccinated.
Vaccines have been developed for most major childhood illnesses like pertussis and measles. But research is beginning to prove that other vaccines given via maternal viral immunization can protect against viruses that are not usually a part of an infant’s vaccination schedule. These include influenza and other seasonal threats like respiratory illnesses that are so dangerous to infants and children. Research has also shown that mothers vaccinated against herpes extend that protection to their infants. Most promising is the vaccine given to pregnant women that can protect against human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV.
When a child is first born it does not have an immune system that can fight off even the simplest of infections. Even simple bacterial infections can prove deadly for a neonate. Viruses are the same. There is little hope that an infant will resist infection when exposed to a virus in that first month of life. Maternal viral immunization is the best way to keep newborns from contracting illness that might mean death otherwise. Whether the mother is immunized in childhood or during pregnancy, these benefits will be passed to the infants and help them get a great start on life.
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