A primigravida woman at 28 weeks of gestation attends antenatal care. She has no prior tetanus vaccination history. According to the National Immunization Schedule of India, what is the correct tetanus toxoid (TT) schedule for her?

• A Single dose of TT now
• B Two doses of TT, 4 weeks apart, with the second dose at least 2 weeks before delivery ✓
• C Two doses of TT, 6 weeks apart, starting now
• D Single dose of TT now and a booster after delivery

Explanation

For a pregnant woman with no prior TT immunization history, India's NIS recommends two doses of tetanus toxoid, 4 weeks apart, with the second dose given at least 2 weeks before delivery to ensure adequate transplacental antibody transfer. Two doses in the first pregnancy establish basic immunity, and subsequent pregnancies require only a single booster. Option A is incorrect because a single dose does not provide adequate protection for the newborn. Option C describes an incorrect interval. Option D does not follow the standard two-dose primary series protocol.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.