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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Whooping cough vaccine today - Y/N?

40 replies

PurpleMoon12 · 28/01/2022 09:49

Hi!

I'm booked in for my whooping cough vaccine today, and yet I'm being told horror stories from older family members and colleagues about the possible effects on baby - epilepsy etc!

Is everyone getting/had the vaccine, or is anyone against?

Looking for some quick last minute advice really, and just want to do the right thing

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

stackhead · 28/01/2022 09:50

Get the vaccine. Whooping cough is hideous.

AmbushedByCake · 28/01/2022 09:54

I genuinely don't mean this sarcastically, but the regulatory bodies will have a better idea of the usefulness and risks of the whooping cough vaccine than your elderly relatives. If it helps here is a summary of what needs to happen in the UK before a vaccine is licensed: vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/vaccine-development

MrsSkylerWhite · 28/01/2022 09:55

Sorry, your older relatives are ill informed.
Get your jab, you really don’t want whooping cough.

orinocosfavoritecake · 28/01/2022 09:56

Get the vaccine. It’ll protect your baby too - and whooping cough is no fun for a newborn

Neighneigh · 28/01/2022 09:57

I had the jab in pregnancy and my son is now year 7, utterly totally fine. I also had whooping cough for six months as a baby, my mum says it was the worst thing she's ever been through. Go get it done!

HeyBlaby · 28/01/2022 09:58

Your family members and colleagues sound like idiots.

Marmite27 · 28/01/2022 09:58

Get the jab. I burst my waters at 36 weeks with a normal cough/cold, I dread to think what it would have been like with whooping cough.

BooksAndHooks · 28/01/2022 09:59

The number of babies who died before the vaccine was available is a big enough reason. Even if my child were to be in the extremely tiny percentage of people who had a reaction to the vaccine it is still a better risk than death.

AmbushedByCake · 28/01/2022 10:00

I do think that in wealthier countries it is a sign of our ridiculous privilege that we forget how awful and deadly these diseases are, and how there are people across the world that would rip your arm off for the chance to protect their children.

www.cdc.gov/pertussis/countries/index.html

Helbelle17 · 28/01/2022 10:00

I had the vaccine when I was pregnant with both of my Dds. No adverse effects on any of us. I had whooping cough when I was 7 and it was hideous - I wouldn't want to put a baby through that.

Phrenologistsfinger · 28/01/2022 10:00

Please do get it! My mum did not and I had whooping cough as a baby. It damaged my lungs so that every cold or sniffle I have (and I am a magnet for them) turns into a 2+ week chest infection, bronchitis and sometimes pneumonia. Hacking coughs like an old man with lung cancer, it is deeply unpleasant (I have one now). I spent a lot of time laid up ill as a child. It has really impacted on my adult life, career etc. I have never been able to do much sport or exercise because my lungs can’t handle it. I always have sick days. I so wish my mum had taken the vaccine.

YfenniChristie · 28/01/2022 10:01

Never heard anything against the whooping cough vaccine. I've had it as cases are rising apparently and it's a horrible illness to have.

I will add though, that it's not just whooping cough. The jab also protects against polio, diptheria and tetanus - not only does it protect you but it also protects your baby until they are 8 weeks old.

There are far more "pros" to being vaccinated than there are cons.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 28/01/2022 10:03

I nite you said older relatives.

There was a problem with the 'whole cell' vaccine that was in use back in the 1970s.

The jab has since been re-formulated and is now acellular.

Do not let outdated information out you off a jab that is important in protecting your baby. As recently as 2012, 14 babies in Britain died of whooping cough when still too young to have received the vaccine themselves. Transfer of maternal antibodies during pregnancy is the way to offer any protection.

BabyInTheJungle · 28/01/2022 10:05

Literally thousands of pregnant women have had this jab to protect their children against a horrible and potentially deadly disease. It is incredibly important and we are very lucky to be offered it in this country.

Bunny2021 · 28/01/2022 10:16

Have the vaccine. Please listen to science rather than elderly relatives that (I assume) have no medical qualifications.

yikesanotherbooboo · 28/01/2022 10:33

I'm sure you will get it done but I am so sorry about the state of distrust following Andrew Wakeling---- and Covid nonsense etc that a pregnant woman would even consider not having a vaccine advised by their medical professionals because of relatives non scientific ideas on the subject. Whooping Cough is a very serious disease for babies and there is no question but that you should do your best to avoid it.

OverTheRubicon · 28/01/2022 10:34

Here is a story about a mum who lost her baby to whooping cough. It's really worth it.

Chely · 28/01/2022 10:41

Had it in all 5 pregnancies and got 6 healthy children. The benefits outweigh the risks on this one for me.

Cosmosgrowinmygarden · 28/01/2022 10:41

OP my ds had whooping cough when he was a small baby. It was horrendous, I have never been so frightened in my life. It went on for weeks. He then caught every cold going which turned into chest infections and he was in hospital several times in his first couple of winters. Thankfully he eventually got over it and he is now a healthy man. But honestly OP, don’t take the risk.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 28/01/2022 10:46

My youngest was born during the 2012-13 outbreak, when babies died.

The reason the outbreak was brought under control was them vaccinating the pregnant mums.

Cuwins · 28/01/2022 10:47

I have never heard of any issues with it personally. I had it at the earliest opportunity. Also having had my partner experience whopping cough as an adult I would never ever want to put a baby through that. He was so ill, he would struggle to breath and talked about feeling of panic as he couldn't catch his breath. And that's as an adult who could understand what was going on. He was really ill for a month and then it took 3 months for him to sleep through the night and not wake up with spasms of coughing.

Jijithecat · 28/01/2022 10:48

There are videos on line of babies and children with whooping cough. It looks horrendous. I don't know why anyone would want to put their own child at risk like this when a vaccine could prevent it.

Totally anecdotal, I had the vaccine with mine and they're happy and healthy.

As a total aside if your child catches whooping cough you probably won't be getting any sleep for a couple of months either so you may want to think about that too.

MonicaGellerHyphenBing · 28/01/2022 10:49

Get the jab.

tealandteal · 28/01/2022 10:49

Had the vaccine with my DS who is now 4 no problems and had it yesterday at my 20 week scan. Go for it!

ODFOx · 28/01/2022 11:06

When I was a child there was a story doing the rounds that the whooping cough vaccine ( which was given to babies) caused 'brain damage'.
It was years before the MMR claims but on the same scale. Of course there was no link but it caused the same level of concern at the time.
Your relatives are possibly remembering back to that scare (early 70s) and are unaware that it was fully debunked.

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