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The reality is that premature babies are more vulnerable to infections due to immature skin-mucosal barriers and the immune system.
The number of premature babies is growing in Spain and in other countries around the world. The age of the mothers, the increasingly high rate of recurrence to assisted reproduction and other circumstances make this a reality. But it is also true that advances in medicine allow the survival of these newborns to increase despite their gestational age and the difficulties derived from their early birth.
These advances and the care these children receive means that when they reach two months of age -the date on which they must start the vaccination schedule- many of these premature infants remain admitted to the neonatology unit, which leads to some peculiarities in their schedule. of vaccination.
The reality is that premature babies are more vulnerable to infections due to immature mucocutaneous barriers and the immune system. To this we must add that they have lower concentrations of antibodies -defenses- that they obtain from their mother during pregnancy, since this transport through the placenta occurs mainly after 28 weeks of gestation, a temporary gestation barrier that may not have existed. reached. All this makes it essential to carry out your immunizations correctly.
Start of the vaccination schedule
The time to start the vaccination schedule in a premature infant is exactly the same as in a full-term infant, that is, at 2 months of chronological (postnatal) age, regardless of gestational age or birth weight, even if they are admitted to a hospital. This includes oral vaccination against rotavirus.
Therefore, premature infants should receive the same vaccines, at the same age, doses and intervals between them, both those on the official schedule of the autonomous community where they reside and those that are not financed.
From the Spanish Association of Pediatrics it is recalled that there is currently a peculiarity in relation to the latter: the Ministry of Health recommends and finances the annual influenza vaccination of premature infants of less than 32 weeks of gestation, when they are between 6 and 24 months of age and likewise recommends and funds vaccination against rotavirus for premature infants between 25-27 and 32 weeks gestational age at birth.
Another peculiarity is that from the 2023-2024 season all children from 6 to 59 months of age, including premature ones, will have free flu vaccination. All premature infants must be vaccinated, even if they are admitted to a hospital, as long as they are clinically stable, which must be assessed by the Neonatology Service. It will also be assessed whether they should be monitored after vaccination.
Immunization of cohabitants
Related news
Regarding doubts about whether people living with a premature baby should also be immunized, Spanish paediatricians consider full immunization of people who live at home with this type of baby mandatory, in order to protect them against immunopreventable infections such as flu, whooping cough , etc…
Everyone, children and adults, must have up-to-date vaccination schedules and also His parentscaregivers and siblings should receive an annual flu vaccine.
