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Pregnancy

Whooping cough vaccine

10 replies

Sarajessgirl · 15/06/2021 19:04

Hello ladies, Is whooping cough vaccine a mandatory vaccine for pregnant ladies in the UK ?
I don’t remember having it in my first pregnancy. Thanks

OP posts:

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sylbunny · 15/06/2021 19:09

Nothing is mandatory whether pregnant or not. It's one of the the ones that is heavily recommended though and they will either book you an appointment for it or ask you to arrange one.

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Passionfruitpizza · 15/06/2021 19:10

Recommended. Nothing is mandatory.

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Rosesareyellow · 15/06/2021 19:12

Of course it’s not ‘mandatory’

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Sidge · 15/06/2021 19:13

No there are no mandatory vaccines in the UK.

However it’s been offered since 2012 and has had a massively significant effect on reducing (well pretty much eliminating actually) neonatal death from pertussis.

It’s safe and effective and is a booster for a vaccine that you yourself will have had as a child. You then make new antibodies which will pass across the placenta to protect the baby until it can have its own immunisations at 8 weeks.

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Shmithecat2 · 15/06/2021 19:15

Not mandatory at all. But a very good idea - pertussis in infants is not a great experience.

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TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 15/06/2021 19:15

Yep, not mandatory but recommended. Whooping cough is still around and it can kill newborn babies. By getting the vaccine you pass antibodies onto your baby that protect them from the first 6 weeks I think it is.