Protecting a baby from infectious diseases begins much before they get their first vaccine. Even though babies have natural protection at birth, their immunity is weak and not fully developed, during the first few months of life. This is where the concept of ‘passive immunity’ comes into play, whereby the mother’s body protects newborns from illness. Research has found that one of the best ways of ensuring an infant is protected against fatal diseases is ensuring that its mothers’ booster shots are up to date.

The main way protection is achieved from mother to baby, is via placental transmission of antibodies in the third trimester. When the mother is given an antigen booster, the body is stimulated to release large amounts of the necessary proteins into her body, which are then transmitted to the unborn child. As such, by the time a baby is born, it would have been gifted a set of proteins that will protect it against certain diseases. In addition, for those mothers who breastfeed, boosters help in protecting newborns through breast milk.