Question

The nurse is teaching a client who has recently given birth about immunity that has been passed to the newborn. Which statement by the client indicates that additional teaching is needed?

A) "My baby received some antibodies from me before birth, and I will give him more when I breast-feed."
B) "I had the measles, so my baby will be protected against it until he is old enough to receive the MMR vaccine."
C) "Only certain antibodies were able to cross the placenta to protect my baby."
D) "I had chickenpox and am immune to it, so my baby will not need to have the chickenpox vaccine."

Answer 1

The statement requiring additional teaching is that the mother's immunity to chickenpox means the baby won't need vaccination. In reality, the passive immunity transferred from mother to baby is temporary and vaccines are required for long-lasting protection.

Step-by-step explanation:

The client statement that indicates additional teaching is needed is option D: "I had chickenpox and am immune to it, so my baby will not need to have the chickenpox vaccine." This reflects a common misconception regarding passive immunity and the duration of protection it provides to the newborn. While the mother's antibodies do provide initial protection, this is only temporary. Naturally acquired passive immunity is provided to an infant both through the transfer of IgG antibodies via the placenta and IgA antibodies through breast milk. However, these antibodies wane over time, usually between a few days and a few months, necessitating immunization to provoke active immune responses for long-lasting protection.