Vaccines crucial to saving women from multiple maladies

Child daughters, who are not administered with rubella vaccine, must take rubella vaccine after being adult to protect her baby from numerous diseases.

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

But 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 herpregnancy.

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

Rahela Akter, a gynecologist at a Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said:"Every person wants a sound body as it is necessary to lead a happy

life...But sound body is more required for a woman because she carries 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 sound health of mother, newborn 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. 

Terming vaccine for respiratory problem as crucial, he said if any woman is affected by rubella virus during her pregnancy, her child may face various complications such as cataract in eye and deafness which is called rubella syndrome, he said. 

"So, a child needs to be administered first dose of MR vaccine during nine months and second dose during 15 months," he continued.  Child daughters, who are not administered with rubella vaccine, must take rubella vaccine after being adult to protect her baby from numerous diseases.

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

About Tetanus (TT) vaccine, he said a girl should take the vaccine within her 15-year age. She should take second dose of the vaccine within four weeks

from the first dose, third dose within six months of first dose and 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 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 their 16-26 years age in order to avert cervical cancer, he added.