Newborn babies are vulnerable to infectious diseases

Newborn babies are vulnerable to infectious diseases, because their immune systems are not yet fully developed.

Whooping cough in newborn babies is extremely dangerous. It can cause severe coughing fits that make it difficult for the baby to breathe. Whooping cough can also lead to pneumonia, seizures, and brain damage. Newborn babies are too young to be vaccinated against whooping cough, so they rely on their mother's antibodies for protection until old enough  for their own vaccines.

Influenza in newborn babies can be very serious, even life-threatening. It can cause difficulty breathing, pneumonia, and dehydration. Newborn babies are especially vulnerable to influenza because they have not yet had a chance to develop antibodies against the virus, unless their mother was vaccinated in pregnancy.

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is the number one reason why Australian babies are hospitalised each year, and can lead to complications like bronchiolitis, pneumonia and long-term impacts on the lungs.  Protection via pregnancy vaccination and infant immunisation has been made recently available to all Australian babies.