Protecting your baby from whooping cough starts before birth

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory infection. It can be serious, even life threatening, for very young babies. Newborns are not yet old enough for their own vaccinations to protect them fully. This is why health authorities recommend a whooping cough vaccine during every pregnancy.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends a single dose of the pertussis-containing vaccine (dTpa) in each pregnancy. The best time is between 20 and 32 weeks gestation. Vaccinating in this window allows protective antibodies to pass from mother to baby before birth. This offers protection in the first vulnerable weeks of life, before a baby's own immunisation schedule begins.

Research following more than 40,000 pregnancies has found the vaccine safe to use in pregnancy. Babies born to vaccinated mothers are far less likely to need hospital care for whooping cough than babies born to mothers who were not vaccinated. The vaccine itself is provided under the National Immunisation Program.

Protection does not stop with pregnancy vaccination. Whooping cough immunity fades over time, so partners, grandparents and anyone who will have close contact with a new baby should check that their own vaccination is up to date.

For families in Leeton and the wider Riverina, this protection matters just as much as it does in the city. Whooping cough vaccination is a routine part of antenatal care and can be arranged through your GP. There is no need to travel for a specialist appointment.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, ask our team about vaccination timing at your next visit.

Source: The Australian Immunisation Handbook, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing ("Pertussis (whooping cough)"), and NSW Health.