Pertussis / Whooping Cough

Pertussis / Whooping Cough

Whooping Cough Vaccinations In Pregnancy

What is Pertussis (whooping cough)?

Whooping cough is a serious infection that causes long bouts of coughing and choking, making it hard to breathe. The “whoop” is caused by gasping for breath after each bout of coughing, though babies do not always make this noise. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, which is why it’s important for babies and children to get vaccinated against it.

What are the symptoms of whooping cough? How do I tell it apart from a normal cough?

The first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat. After about a week, you or your child:

• will get coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night.
• may make a “whoop” sound – a gasp for breath between coughs (young babies and some adults may not “whoop”)
• may have difficulty breathing after a coughing bout and may turn blue or grey (young infants)
• may bring up a thick mucus, which can make you vomit.
• may become very red in the face (more common in adults)

The cough may last for several weeks or months.

Why do I need to get the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy?

Whooping cough can be serious for babies and may lead to complications resulting in hospitalisation and even death. Young babies with whooping cough are often very unwell and at highest risk of severe complications, such as pneumonia and permanent brain damage.

 In 2012, the UK reported the largest increase in pertussis activity in over 2 decades. In 2012, a total of 14 infant deaths were reported in England and Wales. In response to the national outbreak, a temporary immunisation programme for pregnant women was introduced.

The aim of the programme was to boost pertussis antibodies in the vaccinated woman in pregnancy, so that pertussis specific antibodies would be passed from the mother to her baby. This was to provide the infant with protection from birth until they attended for their own routine vaccines at 8 weeks of age. The programme commenced on 1 October 2012.

Since the introduction of pertussis vaccination in pregnancy, from 2013 to the end of April 2024, there have been 29 deaths in babies with confirmed pertussis who were all too young to be fully protected by infant vaccination. Sadly, this includes 8 deaths in infants who had contracted pertussis between January and April 2024. Of the 29 infants that died, 23 had mothers who were not vaccinated in pregnancy. Maternal vaccination is very effective against pertussis disease and hospitalisation.

In light of the success of the vaccination programme in saving infant lives and against the continued high levels of pertussis activity in age groups older than one year, in June 2019 the JCVI advised that it should continue as a routine programme.

If you are pregnant, you can help protect your baby by getting the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine. Vaccination during pregnancy boosts your antibodies which are then passed to your baby to help protect them from the day they are born until they are old enough to be vaccinated at 8 weeks old. It is recommended in every pregnancy to boost the antibodies you pass on to your baby.

When should I have the whooping cough vaccination and how do I get it?

You will normally receive your whooping cough vaccine around the time of your mid-pregnancy scan (usually 20 weeks) but you can receive it from 16 weeks. If you have reached 20 weeks of pregnancy and have not yet been offered the whooping cough vaccine, please ask your midwife or GP practice.

To give your baby the best protection, you should try and get the vaccine before 32 weeks but if you have missed out you can still have it later. You can even have it after you give birth, to reduce your risk of spreading whooping cough to your baby.

You can access a whooping cough vaccine from your GP practice and through some antenatal clinics and you may be offered the vaccination at a routine antenatal appointment. For further advice on getting your whooping cough vaccination in your area, speak with your GP practice or midwife.

You can also check your child is up to date with their childhood vaccinations, including whooping cough, and if they have missed any they can catch up at their GP practice at any time. 

Is the vaccine safe in pregnancy?

Vaccination during pregnancy boosts your antibodies which are then passed to your baby to help protect them from the day they are born.

Pertussis-containing vaccine (whooping cough vaccine) has been used routinely in pregnant women in the UK since October 2012. There is no evidence to suggest that the whooping cough vaccine is unsafe for you, or your unborn baby and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is continuously monitoring its safety.

The MHRA’s study of around 20,000 vaccinated women published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found no evidence of risks to pregnancy or babies.

Can me or my baby get whooping cough from the vaccine during pregnancy?

The whooping cough vaccine is not a live vaccine so it can’t cause whooping cough in you or your baby if you have the vaccine. It’s safer for you to have the vaccine than to risk your newborn baby catching whooping cough.

Will my baby still need to be vaccinated against whooping cough at 8 weeks if I’ve had the vaccine while pregnant?

Yes. Whenever you have the whooping cough vaccine, your baby will still need to be vaccinated according to the normal NHS vaccination schedule when they reach 8 weeks old. Babies are protected against whooping cough by the 6-in-1 vaccine.

I was vaccinated against whooping cough as a child, do I need to get vaccinated again?

Yes, because any protection you may have had through either having whooping cough or being vaccinated when you were young is likely to have worn off and will not provide sufficient protection for your baby.

I was vaccinated against whooping cough in a previous pregnancy, do I need to be vaccinated again?

Yes, you need to have the whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy to boost the antibody you pass on to your baby.

What are the side effects of the whooping cough vaccine?

After having the whooping cough vaccine, you may have some mild side effects such as swelling, redness or tenderness where the vaccine is injected in your upper arm. This is normal after having a vaccine and it should only last a few days.

Other side effects can include a high temperature, irritation at the injection site, nausea and loss of appetite, tiredness and headache. Serious side effects are extremely rare.