Pregnant women urged to have whooping cough vaccine

Cases of whooping cough are continuing to rise in the UK, with young babies at the highest risk of severe complications and death.

Evidence from England shows vaccination at the right time in pregnancy is highly effective, giving 92 per cent protection against infant death.

Dr David Crichton, medical director at NHS South Yorkshire, said: “A vaccination while pregnant is the best way to protect your baby from whooping cough before they can get their vaccine at eight weeks.

“Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for new-borns with risks of complications that can result in death.

“With a rise of in cases this year, make sure to get your vaccination when offered.”

Whooping cough, clinically known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection which affects the lungs.

The first signs of infection are similar to a cold – such as a runny nose and sore throat – but after about a week, the infection can develop into coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are typically worse at night.

Babies under 12 months old with whooping cough have an increased chance of having problems such as dehydration, breathing difficulties, pneumonia and seizures.

Young babies may also make a distinctive ‘whoop’ or have difficulty breathing after a bout of coughing, though not all babies make this noise which means whooping cough can often be hard to recognise.

For more information about the jab visit www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/whooping-cough-vaccination/.