Pregnancy vaccination has been practiced in Australia for over 20 years. It is a routine and recommended part of prenatal care, and something that most Australian women opt to have.

Pregnancy vaccination is not a “new” concept – as early as 1879, it was recognised that infants born to women who had received the smallpox vaccine during pregnancy were immune to the virus in early life.

Tetanus pregnancy vaccination programs began around fifty years ago, helping to protect newborns in developing countries from deadly neonatal tetanus infections.

The whooping cough vaccine was first given to pregnant women in Australia in 2014. The flu vaccine has been given to pregnant women in Australia for even longer.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to some infectious diseases, such as influenza and whooping cough. This is because their immune systems are weakened during pregnancy.

There are a number of reasons why pregnant women are more susceptible to infectious diseases. One reason is that the hormones that are produced during pregnancy can suppress the immune system. Another reason is that pregnant women have a higher volume of blood, which can make it more difficult for their immune system to fight off infection.

Because of this, pregnant women are more likely to experience severe illness and complications from influenza than non-pregnant women. Additionally, changes in their heart and lung function during pregnancy make them more susceptible to respiratory problems.

According to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, pregnant women who contract influenza are at a 51% higher risk of stillbirth and a 31% higher risk of premature delivery. They are also at an increased risk of hospitalisation and death.

COVID in pregnancy can increase the risk of hospitalisation, premature birth, stillbirth, and other serious complications for both mother and baby.  In fact, pregnant women in Australia are 2.7 times more likely to be hospitalised with COVID than non-pregnant women of reproductive age, due to changes to their immune system and respiratory system during pregnancy.

Pregnancy vaccination is the best way to protect pregnant women from infectious diseases and their serious complications, including hospitalisation.

Pregnancy vaccination has led to a significant decrease in the hospitalisations and deaths of Australian infants from diseases like whooping cough and influenza.  In fact, Australia now reports some of the highest pregnancy vaccination rates in the world – something we can all be very proud of!

Globally, these diseases still kill a huge number of children.  According to the World Health organisation (WHO) there are an estimated 160 700 deaths from whooping cough in children under 5 each year, and up to 100 000 deaths from influenza in children under 5 each year. 

Many of these deaths occur in low- and middle- income countries, many of which could be prevented with access to pregnancy vaccination.

We can all play a role in protecting infants from whooping cough, influenza, and other vaccine-preventable diseases by talking to our pregnant friends and family members about the importance of pregnancy vaccination.

It is important for all adults to be up to date on their vaccines, but this is especially important for people who are around babies.

Some vaccines, such as the whooping cough vaccine, are particularly important for adults to get if they are around babies. This is because adults can pass the infection on to babies, even if they do not get sick themselves.

Adults around babies should get a whooping cough vaccine at least every 10 years and a flu vaccine every year.

It takes about 2 weeks for the whooping cough vaccine to be fully effective, and about 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to be fully effective.  This means that adults should get vaccinated at least 2 weeks before being around a baby, to give their immune system time to build up protection.

Staying  up-to-date on your own vaccines is a great way to help protect babies and vulnerable people from serious infections.  You can check if your vaccines are up to date by talking with your GP, pharmacist or accessing your Immunisation History Statement via the Express Plus Medicare app.

Whooping cough can be a serious illness for babies, especially those under 6 months old. In fact, about half of babies under 6 months of age who contract whooping cough require hospitalisation.

Young babies with whooping cough often experience uncontrollable coughing fits that can last for several minutes. These coughing fits can make it difficult for babies to breathe and can cause them to turn blue. Whooping cough can also cause babies to vomit and to have difficulty feeding.

Other complications of whooping cough in young babies include pneumonia, apnea (pauses in breathing that last for more than 20 seconds), and seizures. Whooping cough can also damage the brain, leading to long-term problems such as learning disabilities and developmental delays.  In some cases, whooping cough will lead to death.

Fortunately, the whooping cough vaccine is very effective at protecting babies from whooping cough. . In a recent Australian study of over 250 000 pregnant women who were vaccinated against whooping cough, their babies were 70% less likely to get whooping cough in the first few months of life compared to the babies of mothers who didn’t have the vaccine in pregnancy.

The whooping cough vaccine is safe, effective and free for pregnant women. It is given as a single injection during pregnancy, usually between 20 and 32 weeks.

If you are pregnant, please talk to your GP, obstetrician, midwife or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against whooping cough. It is the best way to protect your baby from this serious illness.

Influenza (flu) can be a serious illness for pregnant women and their babies. It can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.

Babies cannot be vaccinated for influenza themselves until they are six months old, so a pregnancy vaccine helps provide them some protection  during those first few vulnerable months.  A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that babies whose mothers received the flu vaccine during pregnancy were 72% less likely to be hospitalised with influenza.

The flu vaccine is safe, effective and free for pregnant women. It is given as a single injection during pregnancy, usually during the “flu season”.

If you are pregnant, please talk to your GP, obstetrician, midwife or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against flu. It is the best way to protect yourself and your baby from this serious illness.