Is tetanus vaccine a risk factor for autism?
The general belief is that tetanus toxoid vaccination during pregnancy affords protection for mother and baby and poses no risk to either party. [Clinical Infectious Disease 28: 219-24, 1999] Tetanus toxoid vaccine is administered in the 3rd trimester since transfer of immunity from mother to baby occurs late in pregnancy. [Nature Medicine 5: 427-30, 1999] The World Health Organization says the last dose of tetanus vaccine should be administered to pregnant females at least 2 weeks before delivery. [World Health Organization] Of 3+ million babies injected with the tetanus-containing DPT vaccine annually, over 33,000 will experience acute neurological reactions, which includes 8500 cases of convulsions and 16,000 instances of high-pitched screaming. There is no question that the tetanus vaccine reduces infection and neonatal death. In the early 1900s about 1500 people contracted tetanus each year then. The vaccine apparently reduced tetanus to 500-600 annual cases into the 1940s, and th
