Pediatrics

Nest protection - what is it?

definition

In the womb the babies are protected and provided with everything they need for life and development. So that the little ones are not exposed to germs and pathogens immediately after birth, something is given to them in the womb to help them fight the pathogens. This so-called nest protection offers the babies adequate protection against many diseases in the first months of life and gives them time to develop and expand the body's immune system.

While the child is in the womb, a barrier in the placenta provides protection. As part of an infection, the immune system begins to produce specific antibodies against the causative pathogen. Over time, antibodies from the mother enter the child's blood via the umbilical cord. Antibodies are protein molecules that are able to recognize and fight viruses and bacteria. In the event of a renewed infection with the same pathogen, it can be identified and eliminated quickly and reliably. In a sense, the child borrows the mother's immune system.

The transmission of antibodies intensifies from the 34th week of pregnancy, so that the child only receives most of the nest protection shortly before birth. The transfer of the antibodies stops at birth after the umbilical cord has been severed.

In the first few months after birth, the child is still well protected against germs in the mother's environment. Nest protection is strongest in the first two to three months. During further growth, the body's own immune system continues to develop and independently begins to form antibodies against pathogens. From the second month of life, the first vaccinations also contribute to this maturation process. However, it will take several years before the child's immune system is fully developed.

Infants who are breastfed continue to get antibodies from their mother through their breast milk. In contrast to nest protection, however, these are relatively unspecific and serve more to strengthen and support the immature child's immune system.

After the ninth month of life, the maternal nest protection slowly expires.

How well does the nest protection work against measles?

Once you have had measles, you have lifelong immunity to the virus that causes the disease. This is due to the fact that the immune system forms specific antibodies against the pathogen in the case of measles, which circulate in the organism for life and form an immunity.

If mothers have already had an infection with measles or if they develop measles during pregnancy, there are antibodies in the mother's blood that are transmitted to the child's organism via the umbilical cord. There they provide sufficient natural protection in the first months of life.

Since the baby is adequately protected against infection with measles during the nest protection, a vaccination should only be carried out at the end of the first year of life, when the nest protection has already expired, as otherwise the vaccination effect would be canceled by the nest protection given by the mother.

How well does the nest protection work against chickenpox?

As in the case of measles, there is also a nest protection in the first months of life in the case of an infection with chickenpox, which initially protects the small babies sufficiently from a serious infection with possible consequential damage. If mothers are immune to chickenpox, i.e. in the form of a vaccination or a previous infection with the varicella zoster virus, some of the antibodies that were formed against this virus enter the child's bloodstream via the placenta before birth. This provides sufficient protection for the baby in the first three months of life.

Thereafter, in the course of further development, the risk of infection with the varicella zoster virus increases. From the sixth month of life, the nest protection expires completely. To protect the child adequately afterwards, there is a vaccine that can be given together with a combination vaccine for mumps, measles and rubella from the age of 12 months.

The vaccination against chickenpox is particularly recommended because the virus is highly contagious and can be associated with serious complications such as seizures or meningitis and possibly permanent intellectual damage.

How does the nest protection work against herpes?

The nest protection does not work against an infection with herpes. A herpes infection in babies or toddlers can be particularly dangerous and lead to serious and life-threatening complications.

A herpes infection is a viral infection that can originate from many different herpes pathogens. As the viruses are transmitted via droplets, it is particularly important to ensure adequate hygiene measures. Herpes is spread not only through kissing, but also through the same use of glasses, spoons, or washing articles. If the parents or other relatives or friends suffer from a herpes infection, contact with the baby should be avoided as much as possible so that the risk of infection can be kept to a minimum.

Especially in the first months of life, a baby's immune system is so weakened that the herpes virus can spread to internal organs or the brain and cause life-threatening infections. There is no vaccination against the various herpes viruses.

Please also read: Herpes in babies - how dangerous is it?

Does the nest protection also work against a cold?

Many babies get the first runny nose or runny nose after birth. Often they also have a little cough or a slightly febrile infection. In most cases, these symptoms are to be regarded as signs of a mild flu-like infection.

Since such an infection can be triggered again and again by other viruses and bacteria and these change from season to season and cause different symptoms, the nest protection does not work against a cold. The babies can get a cold or a flu-like infection while the nest is being protected. In these cases, the baby's immune system is challenged particularly early on and has to counter the causative pathogens more or less effectively. A slight cold usually does not harm the babies. On the contrary, it contributes to the further maturation of the immune system.

Nevertheless, one should try to keep babies away from people with a bad cold or the flu so that infection can be avoided as much as possible.

Please also read: What to do if my baby has a cold?

How well does the nest protection work against whooping cough?

In several studies it has been found that the nest protection against infection with whooping cough does not offer sufficient protection. This is due to the fact that most pregnant women do not have a sufficiently high vaccination titre against whooping cough and so too few antibodies are transmitted via the blood of the umbilical cord in the last few weeks before the birth.

Since the first child vaccination against whooping cough is only possible from the second month of life, there is a particular fear of infection with whooping cough, especially in the first 8 weeks of life, which can severely weaken the small babies and in some cases with serious complications, such as For example, seizures or respiratory arrest can be associated. It is therefore being discussed whether pregnant women should be vaccinated against whooping cough in the last trimester of pregnancy so that antibody production can be resumed and the child then has enough maternal antibodies for adequate protection until the child's first vaccination.

Please also read: Vaccination against whooping cough

Can you vaccinate despite nest protection?

The nest protection begins on average from the third month of life to slowly disintegrate and completely expires from the ninth month of life. It can only protect babies from diseases that the mother has gone through or that she has been vaccinated against. Because only the maternal antibodies that were formed against these diseases can be transferred to the child's organism via the umbilical cord blood. If the nest protection wears off, the passive immunization by the maternal antibodies also lapses and from the age of two, one infection often follows the other. Especially when the baby has a sibling or is in contact with other babies, for example at daycare.

So that the child is adequately protected in this situation, babies should be vaccinated against the important teething problems while the nest is still being protected.
In addition, one must also bear in mind that some childhood diseases, such as whooping cough, can be associated with serious complications and the nest protection does not offer any protection against them.
The STIKO (Standing Vaccination Commission) provides a vaccination calendar with recommendations that parents can use to find out about upcoming, important vaccinations and the optimal time to carry them out.

The child's immune system is only trained and can mature further through vaccinations. Only after a successful basic vaccination are the appropriate antibodies formed against the pathogen that causes the disease and can protect the child from disease if they come into contact again. The nest protection offers a natural protective function, but is in no case as effective as adequate protection following a vaccination.

How good is the nest protection against other childhood diseases?

The nest protection provides a certain protection against the major childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox up to the ninth month of life. However, there are some other childhood diseases against which the nest protection has no effect and against which the child is therefore unprotected.

These diseases include whooping cough and a flu-like infection, especially scarlet fever. Even if the mother already had scarlet fever and transferred antibodies to the child before birth, the child is only protected against a specific strain. Scarlet fever can be diagnosed more than once because there are many different strains of bacteria that can cause the disease.

The nest protection does not apply to: