Should I get whooping cough vac?

[yumyumh]

I've had such a faff with this, being told different things by midwifes and GP Im get frustrated now...so just wondering if anyone else has been through this...

Just for context I'm 19 weeks pregnant, 2nd pregnancy but 1st ended in miscarriage at 6 weeks and had all of my whooping cough vaccines as a child etc.

From my 12 week midwife app I was told I would need a flu vaccines and whooping cough vaccines after 15 weeks, they were very firm and certain I NEEDED to get his - okay I will do.

At my 16 week appointment (that was suppose to be over the phone but I had to go into the practice in the end because they lost my blood and urine 🙄 so I had to redo) I was pressed about both vaccines again, and I said I just needed to get round to calling my GP to book. (Been suffering with hyperemesis and phone lines busy from covid -19 so not had the chance in the 1 week I'd been past 15 weeks for) anyway the midwifes pressed again and insisted it was so important I got these vaccines ASAP.

I got through to the GP and vaccines booked for Wednesday this week. Just happened to be a day before my 20 week anomaly scan on Thursday (I'm know I'm only 19 wks but they said it was okay so🤷‍♀️).

Anyway today, the day before I'm suppose to have these vaccines, I get a call from one of the doctors at my GP saying I can't have the vaccines tomorrow and that he doesn't understand why I been booked in so early as your suppose to have them AFTER your 20 week scan not before. Also that they have no flu vaccines left at the practice so I can't have one - okay a bit annoying but whatever it's not really flu season anymore anyway.

But I'm so baffled about this whooping cough vaccine!? He then started going on about loads of diseases and listing loads of information on the phone to me (I couldn't hear that well the phone was crackling) and just saying stuff like someone needs to go through all the information/ risks/ whatever about the vaccine with me before I have it. Then says I should do my own research on the vaccine and see how I feel! I'm so confused! Ended up rescheduling for Friday ( so 1 day after my 20 week scan) and he said someone will explain and go through everything with me then.

I'm just sooo baffled and confused now! I don't understand why the midwives were pushing and encouraging me to get the vaccines so early on and as though they're no big deal, when according to my GP under no circumstances should I have the vaccination before 20 week scan and there's actually a lot more to them and research needs to be done!!

I don't know if I want to have the whooping cough vaccine anymore after all this confusion, I don't know who to trust. I can't have the flu one now so I don't need to worry about that.

Has anyone else had the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy (despite being up to date with it) and what were your experiences?

It's my understanding that it used to be given from 20 weeks onwards however it was then changed from 16 weeks. I waited until I was after 24 weeks with my first due to some of the scare mongering you read online about the vaccine and I am not an anti-vaxer by any shape or form but I worry a lot, especially during pregnancy. With my second baby I didn't get round to getting it until I was around 32 weeks. This still gives you enough time to build up antibodies to pass to baby.

Should have added I had no side affects at all with the vaccine apart from a slightly sore arm for a day or too. Well worth the peace of mind knowing baby is protected until they get their 8week jabs.

NHS info here. It sounds like your GP may be a little behind the times (easily done, considering how much things change)

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/whooping-cough-vaccination-pregnant/

i've been thinking the same - i'm 18w with my 1st and not sure what to do as my GPs arent really doing appointments?

I remember something about 27 weeks with my last one, maybe you need to have the vaccine before your 27 weeks? Definitely get it though. I have nursed babies with whooping cough and it's horrendous, some have nearly died and every single one of the mums hadn't had the vaccine. It's awful so please do get it. Maybe speak to a different doctor and check when you need to have it though.

I had my flu vaccine at 16 weeks, then my whooping cough vaccine at 25 weeks, I think you should ideally be between 16 and 32 weeks for whooping cough but I can’t remember exactly!

I’m not going to have the vaccine but I don’t believe in such things so my choice might be different to yours.

Place marking as been thinking about this!

I was told to book my whooping cough vaccine for any time after 16 weeks; ended up having it at 18 weeks. It was fine, slightly sore arm on the injection site for a couple of days, but to be honest I had a sorer arm for longer after my flu jab which I had earlier on. From memory, flu jab was at any time because that is to protect you, whooping cough was from 16 weeks as the point of that is that it gets passed on to baby and they need to be a bit bigger to benefit from it (I think!)

I had already had my flu jab when I conceived but my midwife gave me my whopping cough vaccine at my 16 week check (I'm now 23 weeks so my 16 week check was just be covid hit fully). Could you try calling your midwife for advice?

I was given mine at my 20 week scan three weeks ago, they just asked me while I was having the scan if I would like it and to wait in the waiting room for someone to come and get me for it

I had it in both my pregnancies- no side effects. Midwife during my second pregnancy was very firm about it as 2 babies had recently died in our trust from whooping cough. I'd have had it anyway though (it's offered at the 20w scan appt here).

Essentially the whooping cough vaccine protects, your baby- it is a terrible illness if they catch it and can be fatal. On that alone I accepted the vaccine.

The flu vaccine I was more iffy on, but the nurse explained that while it's more for me, since being pregnant and catching the flu can be more serious and result in a hospital stay, in a roundabout way its also protecting the baby as you are the one keeping them safe. So you need to take precautions as well.

Personally I had no side effects from the vaccines other than a sore arm and feeling a bit sorry for myself (slightly needlephobic).

Midwife today advised to get it from gp between 20-32 weeks but hospital can do it if gp refuses to.
I had it as a baby as I was born before mother's were offered it, I have a developmental coordination disorder and dyslexia and although it might be genetic, reduced oxygen from the virus could have made a difference so I definitely want to have it done to help babies risk as much as I can.
I ve already had my flu jab pre pregnancy but it seems to have been effective for me in the past and no side effects.

Is the whooping cough a new vaccine I was not offered it eight years ago with my last baby? I have not looked into the side effects etc I'm going to have a look and then decide before I put stuff into my body.

It was introduced in 2012 after an increase in cases and some infant fatalities. It is there to cover the period between birth and 2 months when babies are able to have the vaccine themselves.

I've just had mine yesterday, I'm 26+2 but they advised me to get it from 20 weeks I think... I just took ages to ring the GP and get it booked in!

There's good info on why it's recommended on the NHS website, essentially there was an increase in babies getting whooping cough too early to have had their 8week jabs, so they started recommended the vaccine be taken during pregnancy and it appears to have had a positive effect on incidences of infant whooping cough.

The jab was fine, my arm's a bit sore today but probably less so than my flu jab was. I'd recommend getting it, whooping cough can be very dangerous for babies.

I had mine last week. They do it at the same time as the 20 week scan in my area. I think it’s really important because whooping cough is so dangerous for new born babies. I had no side effects apart from my arm aching a bit.

Had mine today. I had a 25 week midwife appointment at my gp surgery. She had advised me at my 16 week appointment to book in for it but I’d not got round to it for whatever reason so I asked today what I should do and she said to just book in at the front desk it’s the practice nurse that does it. I went to do so and the receptionist said she’d get me in there and then as there were no other patients at that time.

Nobody talked me through anything to be honest, the nurse gave me a leaflet and did explain there’s a chance I could feel mildly under the weather but am ok so far.

I’ve had mine today (18+2), was told it was fine any time from 16 weeks. My arm aches but thats about it.

@apple777 what science? Your poor baby.

Hi OP, I had a very similar experience to you - where there is clearly a disconnect between Midwives/NHS and GPs. The new guidelines are from 16 wks, but my MW said she would advise to have it after 20wk scan. WRT the flu jab, I had mine last week, the receptionist booked me in for it then said they didn't have any left - in the same conversation! Wall and head come to mind! Then I spoke directly with the nurse and she said they had plenty left, my MW was quite firm on trying to get the flu jab.

The Whopping cough is for a whole load of things, which the nurse sprung on me seconds before giving it to me, I personally think we are very fortunate to have this protection in this country and obviously went ahead with it.

I think I had mine at 28 weeks.

Just to add I had whooping cough as a baby and ended up being in intensive care for 6 weeks and I nearly died so I didn’t hesitate to get the jab when I was pregnant.

I had the whooping cough vaccine in my last pregnancy, the midwife just did it at one of my appointments, maybe around 24 weeks. I declined the flu jab though

I had both vaccines when I was pregnant. 11weeks for flu and 30 weeks for whooping cough. It protects you and the baby. Definitely worth having it. Didnt have any side effects at all.