Whooping cough vaccine for pregnant women

[RebeccaG]

Just seen on the news that the whooping cough vaccine is now available for pregnant women. Is anyone getting it? I'm not sure whether to get it or not... I didn't have the flu vaccine with my son as I just never got around to it and then the flu season was over and he was an August baby so I thought it would be ok.
This baby though will be born in February brrrrr so thinking maybe I should get them....

What are your thoughts?

 

[weejenb]

I just came on here to post about this I'll be getting it, seen a few little ones with whooping cough and it was horrible. Part of the reason it's coming back is down to parents who don't get their children vaccinated properly when they're old enough, I'm happy to do it early to protect mine and other people's children too.

That being said, I can understand why some pregnant women might be reluctant, and would rather wait to vaccinate till after baby is here. It's just my personal preference should be getting offered it soon actually!

 

[Gemlou78]

I'm due beginning of feb and I will be getting my flu jab in a couple of weeks. I just saw the news about whooping cough too...nobody has mentioned it to me but if offered it I would have it as they say whooping cough is on the increase.
I will mention it at my 25 week midwife app and see if it is available to me.

 

[RebeccaG]

Not sure if I'm being really stupid but they said on news that babies are getting really ill from it - well why are pregnant women getting the vaccine then? Are they hoping that by us getting the vaccine it will pass to the baby? Does that mean then that they won't have the whooping cough vaccine at 8 weeks?

 

[Inoue]

^ Its very worrying isnt it . Yes the jab goes into our system only and we make antibodies for the baby after a few weeks of receiving the jab. Ill be getting mine asap x

 

[Bec27]

Yes I saw it too, the news said it'll be offered to pregnant women between 28-38 weeks. I will definitely be getting it, whooping cough is at epidemic level this year and nearly 4 times as many cases as last year already with 10 babies dying from it so far. One of the babies who died was from Ipswich which is just down the road from me so it makes it feel closer to home. No reason to not have the jab in my opinion, they say it is safe and will protect baby- what more does anyone need to know? Feel so bad for all those for who it is too late

 

[Bec27]

And yes I'm going to get the flu jab too

 

[RB33]

I was thinking of getting the flu jab but wasn't sure but i think the whooping cough is a definite for me. I couldn't bear running the risk of my LO getting whooping cough and knowing i could have done something.

 

[edigirl82]

I'll be getting it, especially as I'm still at university which is basically a bacterial and viral free for all when all the new people arrive lol!

 

[BusyBee12]

here is a link to the BBC article on it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19729989

I shall be getting it. I want to protect my baby as much as is possible, and these diseases are not to be messed around with. If there is a vaccine available, I will take it, the risk of not is greater than having - in my opinion and from personal experience. Thank you for reminding me about the flu jab. It didn't click that of course it is available to pregnant ladies.

 

[Mrs.A]

I read about this vaccine this morning. I've just had a midwife appointment and forgot to ask her about it but she never mentioned it to me either. I have another appointment at 28 weeks so will probably discuss it then.. I'm deffo gonna get it though

Dx

 

[katieeandbump]

Me and my children have it at the minute, and I can't even explain how bad it is. Last night after a coughing fit of 3 mins I couldn't catch my breath for about 60 seconds literally no air was getting in. I felt like I was going to faint and was then violently sick! Its not just a cough its awful and I couldn't imagine a newborn with it!! My boys are lucky they have had their jab so they arnt as bad as me but I know I WILL be getting the jab. Seriously ladies. Its deffinately worth doing! Its scary for an adult but a baby its not worth the risk x

 

[staybeautiful]

Not sure if I'm being really stupid but they said on news that babies are getting really ill from it - well why are pregnant women getting the vaccine then? Are they hoping that by us getting the vaccine it will pass to the baby? Does that mean then that they won't have the whooping cough vaccine at 8 weeks?

From the govt leaflets I found about it online today (will link at the end), the vaccine we get covers whooping cough, polio, diphtheria and tetanus because there isn't a vaccine for JUST whooping cough and it's the same vaccine as you'll have had when you were at school. The antibodies are meant to pass across the placenta to our babies and provide enough cover to last the baby while it's too young for a vaccine given to it as a newborn to be effective. When our LO's are 2 months old they'll then get 3 courses of the vaccine themselves as they normally would. Hope this helps

https://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/09/whooping-cough-resources/

 

[katieeandbump]

I'd also like to add... If it actually protects pregnant women from those stages not getting it themselves its also very worth it!!! Everytime I'm coughing I get awful cramps and I know this is tmi but I wet myself full on yesterday from it! I was so lucky I was inside! U can't control it its horrible and I'd hate to see a poor lady go through labour also being so sick from this at the time! Xxxxx

 

[starburst1979]

I saw this today too! I will be getting this one....got 28 week app soon, don't know if midwife will do it or doc tho?? I'm not getting the flu jab tho!! I never had one with last baby, he's two in Dec and of all the people I know that have had it done, they've all felt rotten for nearly a week after it....and having a toddler I haven't got the time to be ill!! Lol I've never had flu in my life and don't know anyone that would visit me if they thought they had it xx

 

[Katerpillar]

Would you mind if I asked why you wouldn't get it? Are there bad side effects? I'm going to have to do a bit of research on thsi I feel.....

Kaieandbump - sounds horrific - hope you all get better soon

 

[BusyBee12]

starburst1979...a little aside...we are due on the same day! 29th December

 

[katieeandbump]

I saw this today too! I will be getting this one....got 28 week app soon, don't know if midwife will do it or doc tho?? I'm not getting the flu jab tho!! I never had one with last baby, he's two in Dec and of all the people I know that have had it done, they've all felt rotten for nearly a week after it....and having a toddler I haven't got the time to be ill!! Lol I've never had flu in my life and don't know anyone that would visit me if they thought they had it xx

Hi hun, don't forget u can pick up strains of anything just from being out in public, people can also pass germs on before they even know they are developing something. I personally havnt been ill atal the 3 times I've had my flu jab but I know a lot of people worry about having it. I think it affects people differently and we always hear peoples worst stories about things, but that week of having abit of a fever or what not may be worth it instead of developing something nasty like swine flu or another nasty strain. Don't forget our children have their jabs early on which make them abit ill, but its worth it considering what we are protecting them against anyway I think the whole whooping cough vaccine will be knew I reckon itl be the nurse at the doctors I'll be getting mine off xx

 

[LeeLouClare]

You can see your GP or midwife to organise getting the whooping cough vaccine. Available from 28 weeks it's worth getting i think

 

[Inoue]

My GP will be doing mine, just had a call back from my local surgery. There still waiting for instruction and vaccinations from PCT but at least it's all going ahead x