Transplacental Antibody Transfer and Neonatal Disease Prevention

Maternal antibodies transferred across the placenta provide newborns with critical protection during the first months of life, when their immune systems remain immature and vulnerability to serious infection is greatest. Advances in maternal immunization and a growing understanding of placental antibody transfer have created new opportunities to prevent neonatal disease while raising important questions about factors that influence the effectiveness of passive immunity.

In this session, Dr. Karen Puopolo will review the biology of transplacental antibody transfer, examine the evidence supporting maternal immunization strategies, and discuss how passive immunity can reduce the burden of infectious disease in newborns. The presentation will also explore clinical considerations that influence antibody transfer and the implications for neonatal care and disease prevention worldwide.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the mechanisms of transplacental antibody transfer and their role in protecting newborn infants against infectious diseases
  2. Review current evidence supporting maternal immunization as a strategy for neonatal disease prevention
  3. Identify maternal, fetal, and placental factors that influence the efficiency of antibody transfer before birth
  4. Discuss the clinical implications of passive immunity for neonatal care, infection prevention, and global public health

Speaker:

This seminar was delivered by Global Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, on July 15, 2026.

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  • 1 Lesson
  • Course Certificate
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