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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Whooping cough jab

322 replies

blonderthanred · 28/09/2012 07:43

Anyone got any views on this?

I just read on the BBC website that due to the recent cases, pg women are all to be offered a whooping cough jab between 28-38 weeks, to take place at a routine antenatal appt.

I'm 34+3 so I guess they may offer it next week when I go in - it doesn't say whether there will be any notification or info sent, or if I will just be told/offered it on the day. What do people think about this issue, it seems a sudden decision which makes me nervous but I guess there will have been a longer thought process. Plenty of people have the flu jab when pg although I believe that only offers the mother protection, not the baby (?) so I don't know if there are any risks or even if it crosses the placenta.

I was born in '76 when there was a scare about the baby wh cough jab (recently proven false) so I didn't have it and then caught wh cough. I don't know if that will make any difference.

OP posts:
elizaregina · 28/09/2012 10:13

as i expected my gp had no idea whatsoever about this jab when i called this morning!

Brycie · 28/09/2012 10:15

It supposed to be offered from Monday.

Tincletoes · 28/09/2012 10:21

10 young babies have died this year from whooping cough. If I was pregnant I wouldn't think twice about this one - and if I was 38 weeks pregnant today, I'd be hammering on the door of the surgery to get it before it was too late.

DebussyHead · 28/09/2012 10:21

Does anyone know if the vaccinations will be offered UK wide or just in England/Wales? I live in Scotland and there is mention of England/Wales in the report suggesting Scotland might be omitted? I am 34+3 so quite worried about this.

With my first pregnancy it was height of the swine flu epidemic and I was just commenting the other day how nice its been not to have had the to vaccinate or not vaccinate dilema I had last time!! Last time I chose not to take the swine flu vaccination as I was unhappy with levels of testing and there were cases of miscarriage and other neurological disorders linked to it at the time. But I would get the whooping cough vaccine as it has been used in US and France etc.

milk · 28/09/2012 10:36

Thanks FluffyJawsOfDoom :)

DebussyHead · 28/09/2012 10:46

Milk and Fluffy and anyone else over 38 weeks just read this on the NHS website:

"You can still have the vaccine after 38 weeks but this may not protect your baby from whooping cough, as your body might not have enough time to produce the antibodies before your baby is born. However, being vaccinated after 38 weeks will help protect you from whooping cough and from passing it on to your baby. "

so might be worthwhile still trying to get it?

SomedayIllFlyAway · 28/09/2012 10:50

I have just spoke to my doctors too and they are waiting on hearing from the PCT about it, so it is looking unlikely they will start giving the vaccine on Monday.

DebussyHead · 28/09/2012 10:50

Just called my GP who said they will NOT be giving the whooping cough vaccination to pregnant women and that the midwife team in hospital will be doing it. Then called the midwife team in hospital who said a) they have not heard anything about whooping cough outbreak or any vaccination (told her to watch the news today!) and B) that the GP would do it and not them. Arghgghg! As per usual communication not the strong point of our health service.

I reckon although it is meant to be available from monday it will take at least a week before health service knows what the hell is happening, who is doing what etc which means people will miss out. Seems a shambles based on my last two phone calls!

EdMcDunnough · 28/09/2012 10:56

does anyone know if you need to space it apart from the flu one?

I'm supposed to have that as well, 25/26 weeks atm.

Thankyou

ShellyBobbs · 28/09/2012 10:57

I've been into my surgery this morning, they are waiting for the PCT to get back to them, I've got the immunity co-ordinator ringing me later as I'm definitely having it ASAP (33+2) and I've just had my flu jab today too.

PeshwariNaan · 28/09/2012 10:57

I'll likely have it as it offers baby protection for the first couple of months before s/he can be vaccinated. Hopefully they will sort everything in the time I have before I reach that stage in pregnancy. I'm from the US and it's been standard practice for years over there; it's thought to be safe.

halloweeneyqueeney · 28/09/2012 11:14

hi, can anyone tell me if having had whooping cough myself means that I don't need the vaccine? will I still pass antibodies to the baby or not?

AliceHurled · 28/09/2012 11:17

I wondered that. From what I could find, it only offers immunity for a couple of years (as does the vaccine). That was only from an amateur google though

halloweeneyqueeney · 28/09/2012 11:18

ah it was yonks ago! I'll ask about it when I get my flu jab then

whooping cough is AWFUL by the way, I had it as a very young child and still remember the horror of not being able to breath out while watching my hands turn blue!

Northernlurker · 28/09/2012 11:23

Halloweeny - my understanding is that you may - but it depends on your level of antibodies. If you had whooping cough as a child that may not offer sufficient protection now.

halloweeneyqueeney · 28/09/2012 11:27

so perhaps a blood test first to check?

DonnaDoon · 28/09/2012 11:34

My Doctors have received no information yet from those at the top and told me to ring back on monday.

ShellyBobbs · 28/09/2012 11:36

They are recommending the vaccine as a booster whether or not you've already had whooping cough.

It's a horrendous thing, my brother had it as a baby and was ill for 18 months after, it really is a serious illness and anyone who is not sure about getting this vaccination really should speak to a professional before coming to a final decision.

ShellyBobbs · 28/09/2012 11:38

'The vaccine will be offered to pregnant women during routine antenatal appointments with a nurse, midwife or GP.

Even if women have previously been immunised they will be encouraged to be vaccinated again to boost their immunity, because this helps protect their babies before they can start their own immunisations.'

Department of health linkey again

halloweeneyqueeney · 28/09/2012 11:39

it really is, sorry to bang on but its no ordinary cough, I get really panicey even now if I have any sort of respiratory infection because the memory of whooping cough affected me so badly, I had to be watched 24 hours a day, my family and aunties took it in shifts, it really was terrifying. I remember it so clearly and I was only a toddler

Northernlurker · 28/09/2012 11:39

halloweeny - I really wouldn't wait for a blood test.

annelid · 28/09/2012 11:40

From what I've read, its not just whooping cough, its the 4 in 1 - polio, diptheria, tetanus & whooping cough. I can see why the docs are offering this jab, but I'm just not sure, same with the flu jab.

halloweeneyqueeney · 28/09/2012 11:42

northernlurker my GP hasn't even got their first batch of flu jab in yet (I'm booked in for the first slot they have) and sounds like the info/jabs haven't been distributed yet anyway, I'm 26 weeks so I have a LITTLE bit of grace

but don't worry I will get on it and get booked in for when it does come in

OctoberOctober · 28/09/2012 11:45

Just texted midwife and seriously that was the first she had heard of it Angry

DonnaDoon · 28/09/2012 11:50

October It really is a shower of shit when the press release stuff like this before the surgerys are informed isnt it?