Whooping cough vaccine uptake encouraged in pregnant women

As the number of whooping cough (pertussis) cases across the country increases, pregnant women in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are being urged to make sure they protect their babies, and themselves, through vaccination.

Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccination from 16 weeks, and it is most effective if they are vaccinated before 32 weeks.

The vaccine protects expectant mothers from pregnancy complications of whooping cough infection. It also provides vital immune protection against whooping cough in newborn babies.

Matthew Missen, Consultant Public Health at Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: “We are monitoring increased circulation of whooping cough in local communities. It can be a severe infection in many people, but infection is a serious risk to health in expectant mothers during pregnancy and unvaccinated babies who are at risk of hospitalisation and death from whooping cough. 

“To protect a healthy pregnancy and the health of their newborn baby it is vital that pregnant women get vaccinated with pertussis vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. We encourage all pregnant women to ensure they are vaccinated in every pregnancy.”

Dr Angela Hancock, consultant midwife at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust said: “Most pregnant women do have their whooping cough vaccination, but we have seen numbers drop over the last couple of years. We know mums want to do everything they can to protect their babies and the whooping cough vaccination offers vital protection to babies. Babies have their own whooping cough vaccine when they are eight weeks old, but if their mothers have the vaccine when they are pregnant, those babies are protected in the first weeks of their lives.” Watch Dr Angela Hancock talk about the importance of mothers getting vaccinated.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB has recently launched a new set of  resources to support people around vaccination. The animations and infographics are available online – Routine Vaccinations for pregnant women, Routine Vaccinations for adults and  Routine Vaccinations for school-age children