About whooping cough
Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is a serious disease of the airways.
It can lead to pneumonia, brain damage and sometimes death. It is especially serious for babies leading to hospitalisation and death.
Getting vaccinated
Vaccination against whooping cough during every pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of the disease in young babies. It is the best way to protect your baby.
Vaccination of pregnant women before delivery has been reported to reduce pertussis disease in infants by 80-91%.
By getting vaccinated during pregnancy, you will give your baby some protection until they can have their first immunisations at 8 weeks (2 months) of age.
You should get vaccinated during each pregnancy, even if pregnancies are close together, to protect your baby. This is necessary because your antibodies decrease over time and protection against serious illness declines.
How the vaccine works during pregnancy
When you are vaccinated, your body develops antibodies that teach your body to fight the virus. These antibodies transfer from you to your developing baby.
The whooping cough vaccine is recommended between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy although it can be given up to the time of delivery. It is the best way to protect your baby against whooping cough.
It's free for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Where to get vaccinated
Free maternal whooping cough vaccines through the NIP are available from a range of health professionals and health services. These include GPs, community health clinics and participating pharmacies in some states. Not all vaccination providers have all the free NIP vaccines.
Check with your vaccination provider about whether they have the free NIP whooping cough vaccine so you can book in for an appointment. Some health professionals or health services may charge a consultation or service fee.
Learn more
Find out more about immunisation during pregnancy: