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Medicines
warning!
tetanus toxoid vaccine
Tetanus toxoid is an immunization
given to prevent a tetanus infection.
It can be given during or after
preganancy, or after abortion or female
genital cutting. If a woman gets
2 injections (or better still, 3 injections
— see schedule) when pregnant, it will
also prevent this deadly infection in her
newborn baby.
Important: Tetanus immunizations
should be given to everyone starting in
childhood. Tetanus immunization is
often given to children as part of a
combined immunization called DPT,
and the 3 DPT immunizations are equal
to the first 2 tetanus toxoid
immunizations.
Side effects: Pain, redness, warmth,
slight swelling.
Often comes in: single dose (0.5 ml)
ampules for injection or liquid for
injection.
tetracycline
Tetracycline is an antibiotic of the
tetracycline family used to treat many
infections. In this book we recommend
it only for blindness prevention for
newborns.
Often comes in:
Ointment of 1%.
How to use:
For newborn eye care (see p. 261),
use 1% ointment in each eye at birth,
1 time only, within 2 hours of the birth.
Other drugs that may work:
erythromycin, iodine.
WARNING: Tetracycline by
mouth can be dangerous during
pregnancy and breastfeeding.
How to use:
To give lifetime protection from
tetanus (see p. 102), inject
5 immunizations of 0.5 ml into the
muscle of the upper arm and then
1 booster injection every 10 years.
Injection 1........As soon as possible
Injection 2........4 weeks after injection 1
Injection 3........6 months after injection 2
Injection 4........1 year after injection 3
Injection 5........1 year after injection 4
Booster...............10 years after injection 5
To prevent tetanus infection if a
woman may already have been
exposed (see p. 411), inject 0.5 ml in the
muscle. You must also give 1500 Units
tetanus antitoxin.
tricloroacetic acid
(bichloroacetic acid)
Either tricloroacetic acid or
bichloroacetic acid can be used to treat
genital warts.
Important: Use very carefully. It can
burn normal skin badly enough to cause
a scar. If it spills onto healthy skin, wash
off with soap and water.
Often comes in: liquids of varying
strengths from 10% to 90%.
How to use:
To treat genital warts (see p. 333) first
protect the area around the wart with
petroleum jelly. Then put on the
trichloroacetic acid. It will hurt for 15 to
30 minutes. Then clean off. Repeat
after a week if necessary, but do not
use this more than 1 time each week.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
489