Pregnant women in Worksop urged to get whooping cough vaccine at drop-in clinics

Women can drop in at the Antenatal Clinics at both Worksop’s Bassetlaw Hospital and Doncaster Royal Infirmary to get their jab.

Whooping cough (pertussis) rates have risen sharply in recent years and babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk.

Young babies with whooping cough are often very unwell and many will be admitted to hospital because of their illness. When whooping cough is particularly severe, it can lead to complications, and, in the most severe cases, death.

Pregnant women can help protect their babies by getting vaccinated – ideally from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks pregnant. If for any reason you miss having the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour.

Women are able to get the vaccination by heading to antenatal clinics at Bassetlaw Hospital, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9am-5pm, or Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Mondays-Fridays, 9am-5pm.

Lois Mellor, DBTH director of midwifery, said: “Getting vaccinated while you’re pregnant is highly effective in protecting your baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life.

“The immunity you get from the vaccine will pass to your baby through the placenta and provide passive protection for them until they are old enough to be routinely vaccinated against whooping cough at eight weeks old.

Antenatal clinics at both hospitals are also offering flu vaccinations for mums-to-be and will shortly offer the Covid-19 vaccine.