Whooping cough vaccine/ Pertussis?

StarLightStar22 · June 2011

Ive never heard of this and never had my doctor say one word about this. Well my MIL heard from her regular doctor that they needed to get it ASAP if they were going to be around our infants. Now she is freaking out that the entire family needs to get this if they are going to be around the babies. Has anyone heard of this/did your doctor tell you and your family to get this vaccine? I keep looking up information and its not very helpful! I know that whooping cough is very dangerous but Im a little confused why no one has mentioned this vaccine to me..

iluvadam · June 2011

My husband and I both got this vaccine because whooping cough can be very dangerous to babies. Though adults are very unlikely to get whooping cough they can be carriers and pass it along to others. Our babies were born at 35 weeks so we were especially concerned about it. Regardless though, we would have gotten it even if they were full-term.

MrsLnt · June 2011

It's currently recommended adults get a pertussis vax because the ones received as children may have worn off. There are pertussis outbreaks in parts of the country. Babies don't get the first pertussis shot until their 2 month WBV.

I got my shot in the hospital before I was discharged with the babies. DH got his a few weeks before the babies were born. We asked all family members that were going to be in close contact with the babies to get the shot, too.

monkski · June 2011

my doctors didn't mention it either, but there were a ton of PSAs on TV when my kids were born about the importance, so I took it upon myself to get vaccinated (DH too) and asked our nanny to get it as well.

AlishaMay · June 2011

This vaccine is the 'P' in the DTaP vaccine they get at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months at my pedi and again at 5 years. The vaccine lasts for 10 years. During my first OB workup, they tested my immunities (blood test) and found that my booster was still effective. They said that it's a good idea to get the booster every 10 years, especially while taking care of children. I'm sure you could find a ton of info on the CDC website.

MuseumMaven · June 2011

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/default.htm

There's lots of info and links from the CDC.

My husband and I both had boosters some time ago - his because he's military, mine because my asthma doctor recommended it. My parents recently got the vaccine for the babies, since they'll be around them when they are really young. I think they got theirs for free through the county health department.

ade2be · June 2011

I will be getting mine before I am discharged from the hospital. My DH's doctor recommended he go ahead and get his at his last appointment (which he did). There have been a lot of outbreaks recently (esp in the midwest) and so its highly recommended that anyone that's going to be helping care for your babies get it so they don't pass it to the babies before they're immunized.

chickaboo1974 · June 2011

My OB gave me the booster before I started to go to my RE. DH got his booster and his flu shot the day I was being discharged. They asked me at discharge if I wanted the booster- I decined since I had it 18 months earlier.

aBa_bunches · June 2011

DH & I got it, but I'm not too worried about extended family getting it. Although, I'm not one to freak about germs and spreading illnesses - I don't think you can worry about those things when you are a Kindergarten Teacher, I'd spend all day running around with bleach and a rag if I was worried about every sneeze/cough/running nose/etc...!

nikinikinine · June 2011

our pedi asked us to get vaccinated and we did when the babies were 1 week old. My kids were vaccinated at 6 weeks during their 2 month WBV. Apparently whooping cough is making a resurgence and it's very damaging to a newborn/infants respiratory system if they catch it. HTH!

WaitingOnTwoPinkLines · June 2011

I'm pretty sure the adult vaccine doesn't prevent you from being a carrier & transmitting it to the babies, so it would only be effective for you (& it's pretty rare/mild in most adults, I think).

I could be completely wrong, but I seem to remember reading about this at some point.

Temp123197812503460 · June 2011

WaitingOnTwoPinkLines:
I'm pretty sure the adult vaccine doesn't prevent you from being a carrier & transmitting it to the babies, so it would only be effective for you (& it's pretty rare/mild in most adults, I think).
I could be completely wrong, but I seem to remember reading about this at some point.

I'm not sure where you heard this, but getting the vaccine does help prevent you from getting it, which helps prevent you from passing it onto babies. Its true that its pretty mild in adults, but the risk is to the babies.

groovygrl · June 2011

Considering the amount of press this has gotten in the last several years, it is too bad that your Dr did not mention it and especially that it was not offered in the hospital after you delivered b/c that really should be standard practice now. You should definitely get it & YH too and anyone else caring for the babies. In addition to protecting your kids, you're contributing to protecting the health of the public & restoring herd immunity, which we are slowly losing as evidenced by the outbreaks.

Want a personalized experience?

Whooping cough vaccine/ Pertussis?

Re: Whooping cough vaccine/ Pertussis?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards