Anyone NOT having the whooping cough vaccine?

[Bluepetra]

Im not on here to sway anyone either way, for or against but I'm not entirely convinced I need to have this vaccine. I'm not anti vaccine, but this one has too many negatives for myself. Has anyone else decided not to have it ?

Where in the North of the UK are you? I am also in the 'North' and, as I previously posted, there was an outbreak here just last year.

Information from the NHS and from the Internet. I've never said I'm from any medical background. Of course it's emotional ! It's my unborn child's life. I've read all the info that the NHS have given me in leaflets, I've read facts online and listened to people's stories, I don't think they're making things up for the fun of it I'm sure. It's important to consider everything you read.

Hi Chiruri
I'm in Warrington now.

The decision has me in turmoil too. I had a nasty reaction to the whooping cough vaccine when I was a baby, so I have been advised by 2 nurses NOT to have it in case I am allergic to it (which we really don't know if I am or not). Yes this was in 1976 and the vaccine is put together differently now, but the actual whopping cough bit is likely to have the same ingredient. They weren't happy to give me the vaccine as a reaction could be unpredictable - especially when pregnant. I am now worrying endlessly about my baby catching it. It's not as if I can keep her away from people until she gets her first jabs! I've never refused a vaccine and normally am very pro-vaccine - my DD has had all her vaccines and have I. I don't know what to do either.

I've just had a quick look online and can't find any info since May of last year to say that WC was in the area. It seems to all be 2011 and 2012 when it was on the rise then fell again. I googled my area and surrounding but can't find anything to say WC is common here. I also work in Cheshire and have not heard of anyone having it there either. Would like facts and stats on that.

I'll definitely be getting it but was one of those people who didn't have the vaccination as a child in the 70's - so is it a booster or will I be able to have it despite never having had it previously?

1. Risk of stillbirth and other complications. I read quite a lot about this so far.

Where did you read this? Internet blog type info or actual research? I've read around the primary literature. There's no increased risk of stillbirth. If there was the NHS would not offer this vaccine

1. The fact that it hasn't been tested on pregnant women and is a relatively new vaccine for pregnant women to have. ( I know that it can't be tested on pregnant women)

It's actually got quite a good safety profile. When a drug or vaccine goes out into the population, we don't just leave it - we collate any and all adverse reaction reports and we do this pretty much forever. Over 20,000 women have had this vaccine and so far adverse events seem to be the usual sore arm stuff. I work in the field, I've seen the data, I'm satisfied it's safe.

1. Its contents

What worries you about this? It's not a live vaccine. You cannot get a 'mild dose of the disease' nor shed live virus.

1. The fact that a baby can still get WC even if the mother has been vaccinated.

Your risk is vastly lower if you are vaccinated. Nothing is 100%

1. The side effects/ long term and short term, is it worth the risk.

Yes. The risk/ benefit profile is favourable. Like I said earlier, whooping cough kills. It nearly killed me. It's an absolutely horrible disease.

1. In my area of the UK I haven't heard of anyone, adult or child having WC.

I don't mean this to sound rude, but.. Why would you if you're not a healthcare provider? The cases are there, I assure you. And on the up.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/435217/Table_2_Laboratory_confirmed_cases_of_Pertussis_infection__England__by_PHE_region_and_age_group_2008_to_2014.pdf

These are only notified cases! So there will be more in the community/not identified etc. the figures are (for north of England total) 787 in 2014 up from 197 in 2008. That's a big, big rise. Almost fourfold, pretty worrying.

I work with people everyday and never hear of anyone having it. (I'm in the North of the UK)

The cases are there. See the link above.

1. I feel it's uneccessary.

It's necessary if you want to avoid getting whooping cough, prevent your precious vulnerable baby from getting whooping cough and protect those around you from getting exposed from lowered herd immunity.

I know I'm banging on about this and I genuinely don't want to sound hectoring, but whooping cough is awful. Really, really awful. And the vaccine has a great safety profile and is free to expectant mums. We do not realise how damn lucky we are that we live in a country where we don't lose half our kids to preventable diseases.

Pllleeeeease. Get vaccinated. :)

Whooping cough was at it's highest in 2011 and 2012 you are correct - the reason it has gone down since 2012 is because that year is when the vaccination was rolled out to pregnant women. The rates of whooping cough have decreased because of the vaccination programme. This is a direct link. If people take the view of your last post OP and think "oh well, it has gone down" and don't get the vaccination then rates will go back up again.

Babies whose mothers were vaccinated before the final week before childbirth have a 91% reduced risk of developing whooping cough. It is on the NHS website.

As for risk of stillbirth - there is no evidence at all to prove that.

I am feeling the same way. This vaccine has only been given to pregnant ladies for the past year or so (another brand for a couple of years before that). In fact the insert on the 2 vaccines (whcih dont just cover WC) states NOT to give to pregnant women.

Its all about risk assessment. I live in a VERY rural area and I feel the risk pf my newborn contracting WC to be very low. This vaccine is then given during the 8 week vaccinations.

I am not worried about ME having the vaccine but the effect it will/may have on my unborn baby, not immediate or short term but the LONG TERM potential effects. The adjuvant used in this vaccine contains aluminium and there have been no studies on the effect (good or bad) of aluminium used as an adjuvant for any injected immunisations.

If I was living in a densely populated area then I probably would have the vaccine as it is not given until late pregnancy the majority of baby's development is completed by then.

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't!!

All the people saying "well I never hear of anyone getting whooping cough these days" - that doesn't mean nobody's getting it! I went to my GP a few years ago with a horrendous cough that just was not clearing up. She tested me for whooping cough because there had been quite a few cases in my area over the past year, and my symptoms sounded very like it. I had no idea! I thought it was a super-serious disease that nobody got any more, and it'd be on the news if anyone did. No. It is out there, and it is nasty.

Stepaway, you can have it. It'll act like a first dose and you'll be protected for x amount of years. Talk to your GP/mw about if /when you need another one :)

Yummymango, your case is slightly different (and a good example of why herd immunity is so important, because there is a small
Minority who cannot be vaccinated) the vaccine is indeed different now - take your doc/mw's advice on whether to proceed or not. All you can do is be vigilant, be a bit anal about hygiene/ visitors (explain she's not been able to have a few jabs and then ask that anyone with a cough/bug holds off visiting a bit)

There is some research on the aluminium salts as an adjuvant - from 2002 and 2011. Both studies concluded that the amount of aluminium absorbed from vaccines was very low, (we also absorb it from food, don't forget) and well under safe amounts.

Links to abstracts here www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22001122.1

And here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12184359.1

There was some scaremongering a while back regarding aluminium and Alzheimer's - now been debunked.

I have currently got whooping cough and have been coughing since Easter, it is very unpleasant.

It started with being very breathless and then moves into being a paroxysmal cough where you cough and cough and then can't breathe because your larynx has spasmed and closed. Then for the last month or two I have had the classic 'whooping' cough, which is uncomfortable (and sounds ridiculous!) i have vomited with coughing a number of times.

As with most people I was diagnosed too late to get antibiotics but have had steroid tablets twice, am taking a high dose of inhaled steroids and have had three months of Montelukast tablets.

I work in a school and suspect I caught it from one of the children who have had coughs that lasted for months. I would suggest that you probably don't want to catch whooping cough, either while pregnant, or as a new mother and you definitely don't want your baby to catch it.

Thanks Skiptonlass, It's on my list of questions for my 16 week midwife check but that's 4 weeks away which feels like aaages!

Thanks all for the information given, I need to make a decision soon and although not convinced yet there's still time for more research on my part. Yes medical science knows more than us and I do trust in it but it can get certain things wrong from time to time. Also the government don't make the best choices either. It is entirely personal.
Many thanks again for the info.

Expecting to get flamed, but I won't be having it.

The NHS was using the Repevax brand since 2012 but since July last year they switched to Boostrix IPV because it is cheaper.

The instructions state that the Boostrix vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women and hasn't been tested on pregnant women. There is no way of knowing what the long term effects could be.

It is also a 4 in one vaccine, not just WC. Usually a child would not get this until they are 3 years old. At nearly school age they are significantly more robust than a fetus is at 28-36 weeks.

We are told not to take so much as a couple paracetamol and limit how much tuna we eat because of potential damage to the baby, yet a 4 in one vaccine is ok? This seems contradictory.

On reading up on it I found several forums particularly in the US where women claimed to have reduced movements, preterm labour and stillbirth after the vaccine and of course there is no way to prove that, but equally it does raise alarm bells. If you reported this to a doctor they are hardly going to say 'oh maybe it was that vaccine you had?'. There cannot be any clinical trials on pregnant women, understandably so.

Saying all that, I do not underestimate the seriousness of whooping cough and if it was a peak year with many cases in my area I would possibly think differently. If I have another child in a few years and the Boostrix vaccine has been used on preg women for all that time I would be more reassured.

I think you have to weigh up the risks for and against and do what you can live with.

I certainly WILL be getting the baby vaccinated against everything once it is born and fully developed. I feel it is irresponsible to not vaccinate in most cases, but I feel that while my baby is still not full term I would worry about any potential harm.

The uptake on this vaccine is only around 60% so I can't be the only one with doubts.

I have to stress I am simply stating my opinion. Every mother has to decide for themselves what they are happy with. I am very pro vaccination but this one goes against my instincts.

A really informative page:

www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/research.html

Cherrytreehorn
Yes, yes and yes.
I shall keep reading and keep thinking but for now I'm not convinced. Immunisation is most important for us all but totally different in the womb.

I didn't have the vaccination in 2013.it was a tough decision to make and one I thought long and hard about.

My main concern was that my DD suffered reactions to her infant immunisations and we ended up on a delayed schedule and under hospital observation to finish those and get the 1yr vaccinations done. I was worried that the baby might suffer a reaction in the womb and I would have no way of monitoring it. As it turns out DS does have the same reactions and also had a delayed schedule and vaccinations done in hospital.

The peak of the epidemic had passed and cases had dropped. DS was due in the middle of the usual 3-4 year epidemics.

Whooping cough is more prevalent in certain months and he would have had his first vaccination before then.

At the time the WHO had some concerns that antibodies passing through while still in the womb might blunt the effect of the infant immunisations. I don't know if more research has been done on this or if the effect is there but minimal.

If DD had no reactions then I wouldn't have thought twice about it. If DS had been due in a higher risk year or time of year or area I might have reached a different conclusion. I did what I thought best in my circumstances. If I get pregnant again it certainly wouldn't be a blanket no.

I cannot believe someone has linked to that ridiculous Arnica page.

I just wanted to say I haven't been offered this vaccine and I am almost 34 weeks? When does it get offered? It isn't even on the schedule iv been given? I'm concerned now!

My kids have been vaccinated. I was vaccinated at 30 weeks with DS2.
When he was just over 1 he had a persistant cough, doc said viral. A week later doc said Croup & px'd steroids. A further week on DP & I were ill. Coughing constantly & vomiting with every single coughing fit. DS2 was going through at least 3 bedding changes a night due to vomiting. The pain with those coughing fits is indescribable (& I've had a vag birth unexpectedly at home no pain relief).
Eventually we got a dx of WC after going to childrens A&E. Too late to start any antibiotics to help minimise.
I'd asked GP about WC specifically & he practically laughed me out of the room.
I wouldn't wish WC on anyone. I still get pain in my chest when I cough. Its fucking horrific.
We all took the vaccines but because some didn't the virus mutated & we were very very ill. I'm so pissed off that other people put my families health in danger because they didn't get vaccinated.

Toothfairy neither my midwife or my consultant mentioned it to me. I called the midwives and asked and they said 'oh yeah you need to speak to your GP about that' so I had to make an appointment with the nurse at the GP. I was really surprised no one had mentioned it.

You have until 36 weeks to get it done I think.

Toothfairy you should have been offered it around 28 weeks - I had a phone call from my GP surgery offering to book me in. I would ring your GP or midwife, explain how pg you are and ask for it.

x post!