Reprevax v boostrix

[DoNotDisturb]

Posted this in vaccinations but no one responded anyone else debating the whooping cough vaccination?

I'm 32 weeks pregnant and due the whooping cough vaccine. Two years ago I had reprevax while pregnant with ds after lots of research and getting comfortable with the vaccine.

This time I don't seem to be able to do the same with boostrix. It seems the government brought it in for cost purposes and there seems to little or no research on it

I understand they still stock repevax for toddlers. Has anyone had any luck asking to have it instead of boostrix?

Does anyone think it's worth paying privately for?

I've spent hours researching this and hit a wall. I've decided I want to be vaccinated as whooping cough is still around where I live however, can't stop feeling that anecdotally me and ds were fine with reprevax 2 years ago so I want the same again..

Anyone's thoughts on this gratefully received

Hi, according to the NHS website, Boostrix IPV replaced Repevax in July 2014 as it is better value for money but it underwent a rigorous selection process. It's apparently very similar to Repevax but is made by a different manufacturer. Boostrix has been given to women in the US with no safety concerns. It's the same as Boostrix IPV but without the polio element.

Boostrix IPV is also given to children aged 4 onwards.

I understand your concerns. I too was so worried about having this vaccine (I had it at 30 and a half weeks) but they surely wouldn't risk giving a vaccine to thousands of pregnant women if there were concerns about its safety. I'm sure the company that manufactures it, GSK, wouldn't take that risk as think of the damage it would do to them. Hopefully someone with more knowledge about the vaccine will be able to say more on the safety of this vaccine.

Since having the vaccination, I've felt fine, apart from the usual pregnancy ailments you get in the third trimestre. I did have diarrhea a few hours after the injection, but that isn't too uncommon. My baby has also been moving normally since (she did have a few hours the the other wk where she went a bit quiet but that was nothing to do with the vaccine, I think she was just haviing a quiet day).

I'm afraid I'm not sure whether its possible to have repevax instead, could you ask your GP?

I probably haven't been much help here, but hopefully someone else will comment. x

Hi donotdisturb,

Have you heard of the JCVI in your research? They are the national expert team (joint committee on vaccs and imms) whose remit I'd to assess the evidence and advise government re national imms programmes.

Simply Google "jcvi" go to .Gov top link. Check minutes of their meeting June 2014, pages 7-12 re pertussis. It gives indication of all the info they consider. Yes cost effectiveness is considered (it has to be, the NHS doesn't have an bottomless pot of gold) but sooo much more too.

My understanding is that as it was only meant to be a 6mth temporary programme, the vaccine change for continuing the programme for 5 more years had a lot to do with supply issues (a fundamentally important issue with a national vaccine programme - imagine there'd be uproar if lack of vaccine prevented a women having a vaccine she was entitled to, wanted and then her baby got the said disease and died).

Basically the jcvi minuted show safety evidence is from MHRA (have you heard of them and the yellow card scheme?) on data from 20,000 preg women who had been vaccinated with a "pertussis containing vaccination". Note NOT a particular brand name.

So don't get too hung up on a pharmaceutical companies brand name for "their" vaccine. As long as it (the vaccine) contains pertussis have it. Own brand Paracetamol is same as nurofen etc!

You won't notice any difference between having it previously as one brand and having it as the new. Def not worth the hassle of seeking it out or paying privately.

Had mine a week ago and not a problem at all - slight ache round vaccine site for a day or so while my body did it's amazing immune response thing (and all those lovely antibodies will now / soon be passing to my baby ).

I hope that helps you.

Wow. Thank you both for the responses. Off to look up your recommended links.

Know I'm probably just being hormonal but this has been bothering me for weeks. Hopefully a bit more light reading and I can book in for my Jab..