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?

@Leah91

I knew someone would have something to say 🙄 Based on my own research. Really not interested in a debate.

@apple777 hopefully your baby won't be affected as a result of your stupidity.

Op, the vaccine is really important to protect your baby so I would definitely get it. Iirc I think I had mine after 20 weeks both times.

I'm also pregnant with number 2 and 18+3 weeks. I had my flu jab the very early on, had an appointment with my doctor about something else when I just found out I was pregnant and she gave it to me at the end of the appointment just to get it out of the way.
Whooping cough I was told to wait until after 16 weeks and again no issues, my nurse also told me if they release the next flu vaccine (as it changes every year) before I have my baby in September I've to go and get it again

I had both flu and whooping cough, had them at the same time and aside from a sore arm no side effects. I had them after 20 weeks and both have been effective

I had a whooping cough vac, it gives your baby protection until they can have the vaccine themselves. Babies have been known to suffer brain damage from whooping cough. My brother had it as a baby, it’s so serious!

I did not have the flu vaccine though, I had terrible morning sickness from week 4 to birth. I didn’t want to be messed with

It’s only given after the anomaly scan in my area too. I had mine on Friday, had it during my last pregnancy too. Not sure why anyone wouldn’t want it, it protects your baby from an illness which could kill them. No brainer really.

I was given mine on the same day as my 20 week scan as they were running a vaccine clinic in the hospital that day, otherwise I'd have booked an appt with my GP. Absolutely get vaccinated, it's to protect your baby while they can't protect themselves. I didn't have any side effects with mine other than a bit of a sore arm afterwards.

Thanks everyone, lots is helpful advice put my mind at ease.

So many people here have had it (and very recently) and a majority of people said it can save the babies life in the first 8 weeks, so all plus signs.

I did a bit of research and the reason he was listing other diseases was because there isn't just a whooping cough vaccine in its own, so they have to give you one that covers some other stuff like diphtheria and some other stuff like measles. As it covers all bases from what I've found.

I'm still going to go for it on Friday, and I've spoken to a family member who has very similar medical history to me who had it no problem in pregnancy which has eased my mind. I just hope I can see a midwife after the scan so I can bring it up as I do have a few other questions as well, if not I'll just ring the mobile number I have.

I was just really initially worried and scared by the obvious lack of communication between the midwifes and the GP (what else could they be not passing on?) but it seems like it's just different/ not up to date teachings from what everyone's said.

As for the flu jab I'm still a bit miffed that I can't have it simply because they "run out" and "they're not going to get anymore", so I might just bring that up when I'm at the hospital see if they can do anything.

Thanks everyone

Re- the flu jab.. it’s totally normal for GP’s to stop offering it by April as we move out of regular flu season. They start up again in September/October. You’ll probably struggle to find any medical facilities with stock mid-April!

Also, with lockdown, you are at very very low risk of getting regular flu at this point! Hence why we are locking down, stop the spread of germs! So I wouldn’t worry too much 😊 the flu jab is to protect you, not baby.

Whooping cough protects you & baby..

As for those saying the don’t believe in vaccinations (not you OP!), aren’t you lucky the vast majority of the population are sensible and there is herd immunity to protect your kids. I wonder if you’ll be so quick to turn down a corona vaccine! If so, then it really is peak level of idiocy!

I've had whooping cough as a small child and it was awful. It has devastating consequences for babies.
The doctor you spoke to sounds very strange.
You can defo have the vaccine from 16 weeks. I have had it both times, as soon as possible. It's protection for your baby
It is the end of flu season, so I can't comment on the availability of that jab.

Flu jab is seasonal, OP. It’s adjusted each year based on WHO advice on the most prevalent strains. It’s normal for stocks to be mostly gone by April.

My DS caught whooping cough in 2012 at 3 weeks old.
He was extremely ill in hospital with it at 4/5 weeks after being misdiagnosed numerous times. He would have coughing fits that lasted about a minute where he would cough and not be able to breathe. The sound is horrendous. He went blue, needed oxygen, would vomit during or after every feed, lost lots of weight.

I would have had the vaccine if I could have. It had not yet begun. He was part of the statistics that led to the introduction of the vaccine in pregnancy.

I was fully vaccinated as a child. What they found that year is that even where mothers had been vaccinated in childhood their immunity was not being passed to the unborn baby via the placenta as it normally would. So even those who have been immunised as a child need a top up vaccine to make sure baby gets enough immunity to see them through the first 3 months, after which they have their own jabs.

Babies under 3 months are at risk of dying from whooping cough. I believe about 4% of babies in that age range who had it died that year. My DS was one of the lucky ones who survived. The cough lingered for 6 months.

Please please vaccinate yourselves against whooping cough if you are pregnant. I don’t want other mothers to needlessly go through what I did.

Your GP is wrong. The advice has changed and they are clearly outdated, you can have the vaccine from 16 weeks.

The whooping cough vaccine can be given from 16 weeks onwards, although for logistical reasons women are usually called after their second scan around 20 weeks. There is no reason you can't get it done from 16 weeks though, eligible up until birth. These are the updated guidelines.
Practice nurse.

No longer giving the flu vaccine routinely after 31st March.

...and the vaccine covers you for diptheria, tetanus and polio. It's the same as the pre school booster. Not measles.

Hi everyone just to update and finalise this.

I went to my vaccine appointment today, at my GP practice. It was with the nurse who was very lovely. I said I had a few questions beforehand which she was happy to answer and I just explained how I was a little confused as my midwife had told me one thing and doctor had told me another. (See OP)

She agreed and understood my confusion. However explained that; while the guidelines says the vaccine can be given from 16 weeks, their policy is that women have their 20 weeks scan first and they make sure everything's okay with the baby as the vaccine could possibly affect the way the baby appears on the scan or the information you get from the scan. Which makes sense and glad to have it cleared up!

As for the jab, it was quite painful (but I'm a bit off a wuss when it comes to needles) but overall over very quickly. Arms still quite achy but apart from that no other side affects.

Would recommend it if anyone's unsure, overall a really minor jab experience that can prevent a lot of suffering for the baby's and it's just nicer to have that extra security and reassurance for the future. 😊

I didn't get the whooping cough or flu vaccinations. I didn't want to get any of them while pregnant. This was over 3 years ago now though! I still wouldn't if I fell pregnant again. My child is up to date with vaccinations and it was entirely my choice. I'm not an anti-vaxxer. I would do your research and make an informed choice. It's your body therefore it is completely up to you.

Sorry I just read you had the vaccination. Disregard my previous post lol. That does sound sore though ouch!

Whooping cough is horrible as an adult - but terrible in children and babies. I had it as an adult (had been jabbed but hey, who knew they weren’t 100%?) and it was pretty horrible.

Glad you got the vaccine OP, my 25 week appt is going ahead nexr week and I will be getting it then.
It wouldn't even occur to me not to get something that will protect my baby.