Vaccines crucial to saving women from multiple maladies

Samia Atker, a resident of Kathalbagan area in Dhaka city has recently become a mother. She is living happily with her husband and kid.

However, due to insolvency, she could not take good care of herself during the pregnancy period. Samia didn't share the matter with others though she was facing some difficulties. After her delivery, she started to share those difficulties with her family and doctor that she was facing during her pregnancy.

Knowing all the complications faced by Samia, her physician opined that she would not be able to administer all the vaccines during her pregnancy time, resulting in many health issues.

Rahela Akter, a gynaecologist at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said: "Every person wants a sound body as it is necessary to lead a happy life...But a sound body is more required for a woman because she carries a baby in her womb."

"Her (woman) baby will lead the nation in future . . . So it is necessary to take good care of a pregnant woman," she said.

Medicine specialist Dr Mohammad Shahidullah said, "Apart from taking care of an obstetric mother, we should take care of the newborn baby and also the unborn one."

Some vaccines are needed to ensure the sound health of mothers, newborns and unborn babies, he said.

Vaccines are needed to protect them from various diseases such as Rubella, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenza B, Pneumonia and Poliomyelitis, Shahidullah informed.

Stressing that vaccine for respiratory problems is crucial, he said if any woman is affected by the rubella virus during her pregnancy, her child may face various complications such as cataracts and deafness which is called rubella syndrome, he said.

"So, a child needs to be administered the first dose of MR vaccine during nine months and the second dose during 15 months," he continued.

Child daughters, who are not administered with rubella vaccine, must take a rubella vaccine after becoming adults to protect the baby from numerous diseases.

"A woman must take MMR vaccine prior to one month before conceiving a baby," he added.

About the Tetanus (TT) vaccine, he said a girl should take the vaccine within 15 years of age. She should take a second dose of the vaccine within four weeks from the first dose, the third dose within six months of the first dose and the fourth dose within one year from the first dose, Dr Shahidullah said, adding: "If a woman takes TT before pregnancy, she does not need to take the vaccine during her pregnancy time."

"To prevent Hepatitis B, a woman needs to take three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine," he said, adding that a woman must take all the doses of the vaccine before conceiving a baby.

"Uterus cancer is common among women," he said, mentioning that many reasons are behind such type of cancer.

If women become aware, uterus cancer can be averted, Dr Shahidullah said, adding: "Papillomavirus is responsible for uterus cancer. But there are remedies, which are vaccines."

 He said girls should take two doses of vaccines from their nine to 15-year age. Otherwise, girls can take three doses of the vaccines from 16-26 years of age in order to avert cervical cancer, he added.

/KN/