Background. Mothers often are the source of pertussis illness in young infants. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention recommend tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine for postpartum
women before hospital discharge. In January 2008, this recommendation was implemented in a predominantly
Hispanic, medically underserved population at Ben Taub General Hospital (BTGH) in Houston (hereafter the
intervention population).