Just been offered Whooping Cough jab - please help me decide!

[crackcrackcrak]

I'm 36+2 and need to have it by 38 weeks if I want it. So I need to decide and book within a week.
I am concerned this is new so hard to research and make decision based on history of side effects etc.
ATM I am more worried about having it BUT I am in the south west where the outbreak was.
I have never reacted to a jan before but allergic to penicillin and often react v strongly to medication - cant be dealing with that!
Please advise....
TIA

[Clarella]

I think the point is that its not a small chance this year, its a vastly increased chance, plus not just death, weeks and months of illness and possible other long term consequences. Also, the fewer mums that are susceptible the better for their babies if it doesn't pass over to baby.

[Novemberbaby101112]

Thunderboltkid- if they are giving you the 8 week vaccine then it is the wrong one.

The 2, 3 and 4 month one is a 5 in one vaccine for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetnus, Hib, and polio (www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Whooping-cough/Pages/Prevention.aspx) .

The one at 3 years old is a booster and is a 4 in one vaccine which doesn't include Hib. www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/Whooping-cough-vaccination-pregnant.aspx

[Novemberbaby101112]

Clarella- I am hoping to have the vaccine after the baby is born- to avoid any unknown consequences of passing it on through the placenta. I am hoping my husband and I can both get the vaccine to reduce the chances of us getting it and passing it on to the baby.

[Novemberbaby101112]

Thunder-I think there is an advantage to your getting it though-even if it is after the baby comes. It depends what sort of lifestyle you have, but i would happily limit the babies exposure to other people until after he has had his own vaccinations.

Then if both my husband and I are vaccinated the chances of him coming into contact with whooping cough should be reduced.

I'm not sure how realistic that is- but we can only do our best.

[emonslemons]

'I think the point is that its not a small chance this year, its a vastly increased chance, plus not just death, weeks and months of illness and possible other long term consequences. Also, the fewer mums that are susceptible the better for their babies if it doesn't pass over to baby. '

clarella vastly increased compared to what exactly?......has any one really evaluated the evidenceregarding the real chance of catching WC and then the chance of lasting ill health/ death? ........ im not being funny but i really feel theres a kind of fear mongering going on. i mean have people looked at all the other nasty infections out there that babies catch and die from and then compare them to the diseases vaccines are made from.....lets take chicken pox for example......in the us before vaccines were introduced in the 1990's deaths averaged 145 per year now for WC from 2004 to 2010 in the US the total number of deaths was 148 meaning 21 deaths per year.

and just think the US is HUGE compared to the UK......now i wonder what the stats are......im sure nothing vastly more than those!

[emonslemons]

And of course all of you know that the viruses that are cultered for vaccines are cultured from human diploid cells of two aborted fetuses a male and female from the 60's.......that shocked me.......we still dont have the technology.....we probably never will be able to culture these viruses without human cells.

i know alot of people will feel otherwise but i would rather not have myself injected with aborted fetal anything......

[ValiumQueen]

I would rather inject myself with something from an aborted baby from the sixties that would have saved a multitude of babies and could save mine. There are many face creams that have used aborted babies in their production. I think mentioning the original babies is in poor taste personally.

[allbie]

Our DS was 3 weeks when he contracted whooping cough, a lovely present from his grandma whose cough just wouldn't go away! I actually caught it too along with my husband. One night, after the grandma had left, I started to cough the moment I lay down. I coughed so hard I started to urge. It happened the next night too and instantly I knew. I did some research and found that a high % of aged folk carry pertussis in their throats and that the vaccine only really lasts 5 years as it is designed to protect babies. So, beware old dears who cough and cough for months!!! Our son was hospitalised twice. It was horrific and traumatic. He spent his early months coughing himself blue and into unconsciousness. Yes, I would've been vaccinated. Failing that, keep well away from coughing oldies!!!

[ValiumQueen]

I have had the vaccine, as have my children. I am hoping to ask if DH can have it too and have already annoyed people by saying I will restrict visitors and anyone who is even slightly snuffly is not welcome until he has had his jags.

[allbie]

Good for you Valium, wise move.

[peggyblackett]

I would have it in a flash. We have lots of medics in our family, and they all keep checking that we have all had our WC jabs.

[ValiumQueen]

I am not being PFB as it is my third child. I too have had wobbles about the vaccine, and do hear what others say about the unknown risks. I had the same concerns with the SF vaccine, and was convinced DD would be born with a problem, or would die in utero. I had the vaccine at 15 weeks, the day before they advised to give it later in pregnancy, but as I work with high risk clients I had no option really.

Perhaps I am being nieve in trusting the powers that be and their advice. I know there is no guarantee my child will be protected, which is why I am taking the additional precautions, but I would rather regret having it than regret not having it because of the advice. There are no guarantees in life and it is all about making the best decision you can at the time with the information available.

[StuntNun]

You're not being naive VQ, this is a vaccine that we have happily given to our children when they were babies. It would be hypocritical to suddenly say, hey maybe this is too dangerous for us to get vaccinated as healthy adults. My nephew has already had whooping cough this year and I'm not about to take any chances with my baby's life.

[TaperJeanGirl]

If I were pregnant, I would get it (I will ask for it in the later stages of any future pregnancy) I have 4 kids recovering from whooping cough, I honestly never realised how bad it is, my 7 and 5 year olds have been coughing until they vomit x 12/14 times a day, they have both lost a lot of weight, been unable to take part in their martial arts/gym classes, at one point they were given an inhaler to help, my 16 month old stopped breathing during one coughing fit and had to be taken to hospital, where she did this again and was admitted overnight, we are on our 6th week of it now, the thought of a newborn getting it terrifies me

[TaperJeanGirl]

Just adding that generally I avoid any vaccines/medication during pregnancy, I didnt get the swine flu one while I was preg with ds, and just in general try and avoid any medications for myself or my kids, I would 100% go for this one though....

[PacificDogwood]

I am entirely against scaremongering, in fact have had 4 children all without being vaccinated against WC, but why not accept that there is a heightened risk just now, there is a way to reduce that risk and have the vaccine? Yes, the absolute risk of getting WC is small, but if you do it is at least hugely unpleasant and at worst dangerous.

As said upthread, because most of us have not had any experience of all the infectious diseases that used to kill scores of children. And some adults. Diphteria, anyone?

[PacificDogwood]

Oh gawd, major distraction going on here: "As said upthread, because most of us have not had any experience of all the infectious diseases that used to kill scores of children, we, as a society, have 'forgotten' how devastating they can be.

Sorry.

[ValiumQueen]

What do you mean pacific who is distracting? Genuinely not sure what you mean.

[Thumbwitch]

If I were in the UK, I would be having this vaccine. I'm not a big fan of some vaccines, but this one, I would have. I don't "do" flu vaccines - pregnant or otherwise - they're not well-enough tested, IMO.
But Repevax is given to very young babies and DS had that on schedule - I'm happy to take that as appropriate enough safety.

[PacificDogwood]

Valium, distraction is here, in RL, I am entirely outnumbered by children, some of which insist on climbing over me/laptop .

The whole vaccination issue IS hugely confusing: I've had the flu vacc for many years, then had it before I knew I was pregnant with DS2 - major fuss ensued. 4 yrs later, pregnant with DS3 and flu/swine flu vaccination was recommended for pregnant women.
I am NOT a scientist (as I've demonstrated with my first post on this thread, getting mixed up with the vaccination for babies and 3 year old ) and I will not pretend to understand all of the issues. There are many different vaccination schedules all over the world and IMO it make sense to go with local policy; if for no other reason than to contribute to herd immunity.

[ValiumQueen]

I understand! And empathise. Children should understand that mumsnetting is a vitally important thing and should not be interrupted unless someone is going blue.

[PacificDogwood]

VQ, so true, so true - and why do they keep pestering me and not Daddy??