Not convinced about the whopping cough vaccine

[AlwaysBelieve19]

(Don't need people who are going to be rude or negative about the way I'm thinking)
Hi ladies at first I was definitely going to get the whopping cough vaccine but after a lot of research and a lot of asking questions I'm not convinced I asked my midwife if she got it she said No she don't think it's necessary but that's her opinion she said and as a midwife if she don't think it's not necessary then I'm not too convinced I would do anything to protect my baby but my thoughts are telling me other wise btw I'm 26weeks

Thanks @thetangleteaser, I suspected something like this but am yet to see a midwife so all a bit clueless

My understanding is that up until about a decade ago barely anyone was getting whooping cough anymore cos kids got vaccinated. Then more and more people stopped getting their kids vaccinated (due to false info re MMR ) and so whooping cough cases rose and some babies died of it, so the NHS decided to offer the vaccinaction to pregnant women to try to give babies some immunity before they are born (bear in mind babies don't get their first vacs until 8 weeks - that's why some small babies were getting it and dying, be sure they got it before they could be vaccinated).

My point is - have the vaccination! If people hadn't stopped vaccinating their kids we wouldn't need to vaccinate pregnant women. Now, If pregnant women stop get the vac there will be more cases.

I think I'll take the advice of the scientists and doctors behind the NHS and WHO rather than a random midwife or Google search.

Firstly, why look for opinions on here when you've clearly made up your mind?

Secondly, you're selfish and stupid

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/whooping-cough-vaccination-pregnant/
its been used for pregnant women in the UK since 2012 according to this

I wasn't offered the whooping cough vaccine when I had ds2 in 2009, but was offered (and obviously accepted) when pregnant with ds3 in 2014.

If you would do anything to protect your baby you will have this vaccine. It’s the only thing capable of protecting your baby from whooping cough - a horrible, violent illness which can be deadly. There is absolutely no scientific basis for believing it to be harmful, and the reality is it has saved thousands of babies from being very ill indeed.

It was incredibly irresponsible of your midwife to suggest you don’t need it. In your shoes, I would report her to your local trust. She is risking the wellbeing of small babies, which is totally unacceptable given her position of trust and authority.

My child had the whooping cough at 9. He was vomiting from coughing at the worst point. He was coughing for at least three months. If it's that bad in a 9 year old child why would you risk it for your newborn?

If people hadn't stopped vaccinating their kids we wouldn't need to vaccinate pregnant women. I'm not sure about that, DS was vaccinated, the vaccine can wear off in less than 10 years.

The reason that the whooping cough vaccine is now offered to pregnant women is because of the rise in cases in new borns/very young babies before they're vaccinated.

The reason cases haven't risen more is that most women are choosing to vaccinate during pregnancy.

I do get that any sort of medical intervention during pregnancy can seem scary - your first thought is 'what about the baby?' but there no no scientific data to suggest that this vaccine is unsafe to receive.

Your midwife should be reported to the NMC, frankly.

I have my doubts about some vaccines but whooping cough is one that I didn't even doubt for a second. Had it whilst pregnant with my twins without any reservation whatsoever. As pp says, look at a video of a child with whooping cough. Hideous.

FWIW, I have a friend who had whooping cough badly as a baby and subsequent lung damage means she still is very susceptible to nasty chest infections every winter, 40 years later. Get the vaccine.

When you say research do you mean you asked on Facebook or do you mean you read medical journals?

You have posted about this before haven’t you?

Sadly, stillbirth is more common than many people realise. I think it’s around 1 in every 200 pregnancies, although it varies year by year? So, if the whooping cough vaccine is routinely given to pregnant women, there will inevitably be a certain number of poor women who have the vaccine and go on to lose the baby, just because those are the odds. But it’s human nature to look for connections and causes, so these stories get passed around as “proof” that the vaccine caused the tragedy, because one event followed the other.

I had whooping cough when I was 22. It was bloody awful - the worst illness I have ever had. You are literally gasping for breath. And I had it quite mildly because I’d been vaccinated - the doctor said if I hadn’t had the vaccine it would have been a lot worse. And that was for a healthy young adult too, children and babies get it much worse. Get the vaccine!

I didn't with my first, who was born in the summer

I got it with my second, who was born in the winter. I got it because a baby is so precious not protecting it is lunacy. I was an idiot the first time and didn't arrange it. I thought it was given at a midwives appointment but you need to book it yourself at the GP.

It is your choice, but I don't think it is worth the risk of loosing your baby over something you can be jabbed against.

My DS had croup as a baby, which they make a strange noise when breathing and it was very scary. He had to go to hospital for steroids as he was struggling to breath. It isn't the same thing as whooping cough, but honestly just protect yourself and your baby against anything you can.

The vaccine is to protect baby rather than you.

That video is heartbreaking

I’m glad you’ve changed your mind OP

I had the vaccine with both pregnancies

Probably going to be an unpopular opinion.

My older sister had the Whopping Cough vaccine and it left her disabled. It scrambled her brain to the point she started having seizures and it wasn’t picked up by doctors until the damage was done. She’s been unable to do a thing for herself her whole life and is non verbal.

Just as in FYI - the NHS paid my parents a hush fee. So they did take the blame for it.

I wouldn’t say don’t get it and I won’t force my views on anyone but don’t go with the flow. Make your own opinion on things.

Oh and yes I have watched a child go through it, my cousin went through it and btw...he was vaccinated and still got it.

It’s not hush money 🙄 the government pays anyone who is severely disabled as a result of a vaccine (which is not very many people). Vaccine damage payments

Like your cousin @Fruitloops34 I got it despite being vaccinated but it actually makes me a huge advocate for the vaccine a) because I wouldn’t wish such a horrible illness on anyone and you are less likely to get it if you’ve been vaccinated and b) because the vaccine makes the illness less severe if you do get it.

@PattyPan

It was hush money because it was 1979 and no such payment that you’ve sent the link for existed yet and trust me, it wasn’t even close to £120,000.

The letter(they still have) states they (NHS) are making this payment on the understanding my parents didn’t go any further with it. They didn’t as there was no such thing as no win no fee lawyers in those days.

Listen I’m not telling the OP not to get it, it’s her choice. I’m just telling her my families experience.

I've had the vaccination 5 times. I had it today, apart from an achy arm I haven't ever experienced side effects. Obviously just my experience. Not so sure the midwife should be giving you her opinion on it though, not to that extent

@Fruitloops34 The vaccine damage payment system that I linked to was introduced in 1979.