Whooping cough jab

[blonderthanred]

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.

[elizaregina]

just called dh, letters only went out last night to doctors!

how stupid, i asked him to feed back that it would be better to first of all let the letters go out and the doctros be prepared BEFORE announcing it on national tv, and leaving worried pregnant ladies batted between other bodies who have no idea what they are talking about!

he didnt want to know and said he couldnt pass that on to anyone.


thanks government!

[elizaregina]

im going to email my MP as well. its digsutting!

[pickledraisins]

I'm 38+4 and asked at my pre op (Elcs) check this morning. They also knew nothing but was concerned that if I got it now there might be side effects and I could feel unwell for my ELCS in 6 days. That wouldn't bother me if was I was protecting my baby, however if it could affect the ELCS it's a different matter. Does any key know if there are side effects?

[pickledraisins]

Any body know

[kate2boysandabump]

I'll definitely be having this, I was born in '77 and I didn't have the jab for health reasons. I got WC and was ill for 6 months. My mom was never quite the same afterwards as a result of having to care for a blue tinged toddler who was constantly struggling for breath. She rang me this morning to tell me to ring the GP to get booked in. She has found the news of an outbreak pretty distressing, that other children are suffering as I did

I can't remember who asked, but the best way to protect your baby from getting whooping cough is to hope that people take up the vaccine to give sufficient coverage in the general population. Sadly there's nothing any of us can do about that.

If you can face it try, googling what it sounds like it's horrific.

[kate2boysandabump]

In the BBC article I read this morning, it said a likely side effect was a fever. I don't know if that would mean you couldn't have your section, I suspect it would, but obviously I'm not an expert.

[imustbepatient]

I'm just coming up 37 weeks and rang my surgery who didn't know about it either, but the receptionist was great, took my number, spoke to the Dr and rang me back. Ok so the answer was still they didn't know but that they thought speaking to the midwife would be best as the hospital may be administering them. I was grateful they tried at least!

Midwife unit at the hospital had clearly had lots of calls about this but didn't have the info to give out yet either, other than to say they don't have the vaccines yet, they are currently reading through the paperwork they have just received about it all and expect to know more by Monday. Hence I will be bothering them again on Monday... I feel sorry for the midwives and Drs with the overload of unnecessary calls they will have to deal with just because the press release timing has been handled so badly.

[MoonHare]

I've just emailed my MP to complain and to seek assurance that he will be doing all in his power to protect the lives of babies in his constituency.

"What a horrendous situation it would be if a baby were to die locally becasue the vaccine was not made available to its mother despite a national public announcement by the Government that it would be." Bit emotive I know but I am seriously pissed off about this latest Government cock-up. They really are clueless.

[MoonHare]

Oh I also emailed the BBC to make sure they are aware of the other story here - i.e. communication cock-up by Government.

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

Spoke to my GP - she knew about it from the news this morning (!) but said they had heard nothing from the PCT which is who makes the decisions on who gets what jabs, so nothing they could do before that happens and they would contact anyone who needed it. By the time they hear, though, it'll be too late for me technically I'm probably too late now but she did at least say that in our area they hadn't seen the same higher incidence of WC as reported on the news.

The video interview on the DoH website was quite interesting, the chap seemed to suggest the current outbreak may have something to do with the scrapping of booster shots in teenagers. I wonder if they'll reinstate them?

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

moonhare let us know if you get a response!

[DonnaDoon]

Well Done MoonHare

[Sidge]

I'm a practice nurse working for a GP surgery and we've heard nothing about this apart from what's on the news. We haven't had any guidance from the HPA or local PCT so can't vaccinate anyone, especially as we don't know which vaccine would be offered and how it would be funded/supplied.

There are two vaccines containing pertussis (WC) - the one for babies that also has diphtheria, tetanus, polio and Hib and the one for preschoolers that also has diphtheria, tetanus and polio. So there isn't a single vaccine for pertussis alone.

[DonnaDoon]

Sidge In that case isnt it diabolical that a woman from the Department of Health specifically said on this mornings BBC news that those 35wks+ were to contact their Gp today and arrange to have the jab ASAP. ? It really is shocking I think.

[DonnaDoon]

Disclaimer I know this is totally no fault of the GPs and midwives department whatsoever...They are in the dark about this too.

[Sidge]

Yup, I think it's piss poor that they've plastered info all over the news but have made no provision to actually inform the people that may be giving the jabs what they're to do.

[Clarella]

Somebody must have sanctioned the news being released to the press, its a shame they haven't prepared the professionals at the same time as worrying all those out of the time limits stated at probably the most stressful time in pregnancy.

My experience with my gp would lead me to believe that I'm sure they wouldn't deny a woman over 38 wks a jab if they were concerned, its just they wouldn't necessarily pass on the immunity to baby in time - however then she would definately be immune. Of course that's just my lovely gp. I agree the best thing (as with the mmr jab) is to just get as many vaccinated as possible. I just hope whipping everyone up into a panicked frenzy before putting proper organised plans into motion wasn't part of the 'spreading awareness' plan but then again if gps only found out last night it was bound to get into the press today before they've had a chance to find out anything themselves. I think there needs to be some reassurance follow up. I'm sure most gps and midwives are as in the know about the ins and outs as us.

[Clarella]

My point about the mmr jab was that inaccurate information blown out of proportion by the press probably led to more issues as children were not vaccinated and had led to recent measles outbreaks which have in.some areas been pretty serious.

[Rowanhart]

So now worried about whether will get vaccine foster watching horrible footage of little baby struggling to breathe.

I'm 33+3 and am tearing up at the footage. Damn you evening news...

[kate2boysandabump]

I have news regarding the whooping cough vaccination. DH is a pharmacist he's had his e-mail from his PCT. Basically it says that all pregnant women between 28 and 32 weeks pregnant from now on will be offered the jab routinely at ante-natal appointments. Those who are past 32 weeks NOW will be offered it as well and those that are passed 38 weeks will be offered it at the onset of labour. The vaccine being offered is the 4 in 1 that babies get as part of their routine immunisations. Hopefully everyone should be called routinely, obviously that's from one PCT, but the advice regarding labour etc is nationwide.

[whatsonyourplate]

Sidge it is the Repevax vaccine according to this fact sheet Fact sheet

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

Thanks Kate! What pct is that in?

[DebussyHead]

I called surgery again this afternoon and she said again they knew nothing and it would be midwife who did it. She then said she would speak to PCT and I was to ring back. When I did this she said they had told her that surgeries would only receive LETTERS explaining what process would be on Monday and not vaccines. Hence why she knew nothing as letters only going out today AFTER news has broken on BBC. Total fuck up.

I'll call back Monday and hopefully they will know their arse from their elbow by them (sorry know it's not their fault ) and prioritise women close to 38 weeks who have days or weeks left in terms of a 'window' to get this sorted. Am about government cock up!!

[steben]

I am horrendously concerned about this - I am supposed to be having the flu jab thursday when I will be 37.5 weeks and have a section booked in 3 weeks - already have one at nursery who picks up everything and a DH who is constantly ill over winter am so angry that we don't know when or if we will be offered it

[elizaregina]

anyone who is angry simply write to your mp - and also the bbc so they know you cant get it yet and no one knows about it.

why let them get away with it?

they have put us between a rock and a hard place and caused needless panic