whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy

[LolaMontez]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to bother everyone but I've got myself into a bit of a tizz about the whooping cough vaccine.

I've just read the leaflet published by the company who produces the vaccination (Repevax by Sanofi). They write in it (in paragraph 4.6):

"The use of this combined vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy."

I am completely confused. The NHS says you should take it but the pharmaceutical company clearly states otherwise! What is going on???

Here is the link (paragraph 4.6):

www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/15256/SPC/REPEVAX/#PREGNANCY

Can anyone shed any light on this? It's got me into a real state!

It's not a combined vaccine is it?

yes it is.
the vaccine is called Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough))

I don't know then, sorry.

I had it at 38 weeks pregnant along with the flu jab.

Speak to the nurse at the gp surgery, or your mw.

Actually, Tetanus, dip and whooping cough is the jab they give to children.

Pregnant women have the single vaccine.

Not dip and tetanus too

I understand that pregnant women are not included in clinical trials and that might be the reason why the safety during pregnancy has not been assessed
(the NHS explanantion in:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/whooping-cough-vaccination-pregnant.aspx#patient ).

what I don't understand is why Sanofi writes:

"The use of this combined vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy"

Maybe they have write that because they can't do clinical trials on pg women, so they are covering themselves legally?

But I'm certain it's the single vaccine for pg women.

My children have had the combined vaccine

Maybe I'll ask the GP, if the vaccine is Tdap or just whooping cough.

there is no single pertussis vaccine, so women do get the combined vaccine and yes, Sanofi must say that because there had been no clinical trials in pregnant women (there is more recent data now). This is the HPA Q&A
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1317136400742
This is the US page that discusses their recommendation for pertussis vaccination during pregnancy:
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6041a4.htm?s_cid=mm6041a4_e%0D%0A
Hope it helps - I would certainly do it

HIya

It is the combined booster jab they give to pre schoolers it is not a live vaccine. The reason they say not recommended for pregnant women is to cover their backs as they have not been tested thoroughly enough for compliance to say 100% it is safe for pregnancy. It is not ethical to carry out a lot of clinical tests on pregnant women - you will see a lot of medicines are labelled as not suitable for pregnant women such as lemsip, buttercup syrup etc.

The vaccine is to you to help your immunity some people are concerned the baby will not get the benefits but the ideal solution is increasing your immunity will pass through the placenta - they don't think it will pass through breast milk - unless someone else has more recent updates on this.

If you are concerned talk to your nurse, doctor or midwife it is your choice another option would be to limit visitors when your baby is born.

I had the vaccine a few weeks ago after doing the research my Sisters in Law have never been vaccinated for anything so will be limiting visits and asking for them to wash hands etc as long as they are symptom free - this is what my nurse recommended when I got the vaccine.