Whooping cough (pertussis) booster vaccine

What are the benefits of having the whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy?

When a pregnant woman is vaccinated against whooping cough, her immunity against the disease passes to the unborn baby. This means that after the baby is born, they have a lower chance of catching whooping cough and could therefore avoid the serious complications that it can cause.

It is currently recommended that all pregnant women in the UK are vaccinated with Boostrix IPV® between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Women can still be vaccinated after 32 weeks of pregnancy but vaccination at this stage of pregnancy may not offer as much protection to the baby.

Are there any risks of having the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy?

No. The baby is fully developed by 12 weeks of pregnancy so by the time that the vaccine is given it will not lead to a structural birth defect. Information from over 200,000 pregnant women who received the whooping cough vaccine raises no concerns that vaccination causes stillbirth, preterm birth, or low infant birth weight.

Are there any alternatives to having the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy?

No. It is recommended that all pregnant women are vaccinated, including those who have had a whooping cough infection or the vaccination in a previous pregnancy. This is to ensure that high levels of immunity can pass to the baby.

What if I prefer not to be vaccinated against whooping cough in pregnancy?

You can decline the vaccination. However, protection against whooping cough is very important for the baby as it can cause serious breathing problems that require hospital treatment and, in rare cases, can lead to death.