Other Childhood Infections

• The mother starts providing IgG to the baby at around 20 weeks gestation
• Levels increase dramatically until birth, where they peak
• After birth the maternal IgG is gradually removed from the blood, and endogenous IgG is produced. However, IgG production is not as quick as IgG breakdown, and as a result, IgG levels are lower than those at birth – even for the first few years of life. They are lowest at about 3 years of age.

• Biggest cause of acute illness in children
• 7 million deaths in children under 5 worldwide each year

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