Refused tetanus jab?

[Kate123cl]

Hello, looking for some advice / experience. I'm going on holiday to the Dominican Republic at the end of August. I went to the doctors today to have my travel jabs. The recommended jabs are Typhoid and Tetanus. She gave me the Typhoid one but refused my Tetanus as I'm trying to conceive. She didn't seem to be too concerned but Just said 'try not to stand on anything sharp or rusty'. Not sure about the risks abroad without tetanus. Should I phone back up and request one?? Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

If you’ve followed the usual UK vaccination program, the tetanus jab would likely just have been a booster anyway. I’d not be too worried.

@Chocolala Thank you. I think I've had 4 out of the 5 required jabs so not too sure!

Isn't the Dominican Republic in the Zika virus zone? That would worry me far more than being refused a tetanus booster.

Tetanus is found in dirt more so than rusty nails.
If you should get a deep cut, you can get the tetanus shot at that point in time.
Safe journey

@Penfold007 oh my god I didn't even know about that!

jemaclinic.com/zika-virus-in-the-dominican-republic/

You really need to follow this advice very carefully. Honestly I would either not TTC as recommended above or I would pick somewhere else if TTC is your main priority. You AND your partner both need to take precautions against the virus if you do decide to go. But personally it would spoil my holiday if I was worried all the time as you can get this and not realise. Sorry, but I am bit shocked and surprised that people don't check these things out before they book.

@mummymeister please don't jump to conclusions. I booked this 2 years ago and only decided to ttc the last few months so you really have no clue what the situation is. Thanks for your advice though, no need for your last comment.

TTC is not a contraindication to Tetanus vaccination.

@FadedRed Oh really?

Yes, really. Your GP/PN should be going by the DH 'Green Book'.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/148506/Green-Book-Chapter-30-dh_103982.pdf

Pages 372/3

Apologies Kate123cl. Because Zika isn't all over the news this year like it was last year, people seem to have forgotten about it. that was really my point. Can you postpone either the holiday or the TTC at all?

I asked my ob about the tetanus booster because our paediatrician insisted on it for whooping cough and he said as long as I wasn't actually pregnant, I could have it no problem. They don't give vaccines here when you're pregnant (no whooping cough either), but your GP is talking bollocks.

TTC isn't a concern with tetanus vaccine, however if you've had your 5 in your lifetime (3 as a baby, 1 preschool, 1 as school leaver) you don't necessarily need a booster for your holiday.

We don't give tetanus every 10 years now like we used to.

More info here about travel health for DR for you, including Zika risks and advice

@Sidge thank you. I've had 4 out of 5, missed my school leaver one somehow!

@kikibo thank you! I thought so, too!

@mummymeister No worries. I know what you mean, I've never heard of it until now. Will definitely postpone ttc!

Thanks all!

@FadedRed thank you for that. I'll have a read

If you’ve missed one then book in with the practice nurse for your 5th. It’s worth completing the course.

kikibo, you do get the whooping cough vaccine when pregnant, just not until after 16 weeks. Most women have it at around the time of the 20 week scan.

@Sidge I did go to get one but she said as I was ttc she wouldn't give me one.

Kate123cl I think your practice nurse (assuming that's who you saw) needs a professional update

There is no reason to avoid DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and polio) if trying to conceive. It's not a live vaccine.

Live vaccines are contraindicated in pregnancy and we advise avoiding conception for 1 month after having a live vaccine such as MMR.

lupins I think kikibo isn't in the UK as she mentions an OB - they don't have a pertussis programme for pregnancy in most other countries as far as I know.

I'm not in the UK indeed. I'm in Germany.

The last thing I heard about the whooping cough vaccine was that they were considering it here, but the ob community seems to be quite conservative here in that they won't give any vaccines at all in pregnancy as a rule, not even non-live. If not strictly necessary obviously.

Which is why I asked in the first place, because I didn't want to have to tell my paediatrician I could be pregnant if he asked why I didn't want the vaccine... not his business.