With cases of whooping cough increasing across the Black Country, pregnant women are being encouraged to come forward for a vaccination.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.

Mums-to-be are offered the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy so their baby has protection against whooping cough from birth. The whooping cough vaccine is also routinely given as part of the 6-in-1 combination vaccine for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.

If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated, or if your child hasn’t yet had the 6-in-1 combination vaccine, please contact your GP surgery to book an appointment to get the protection from whooping cough as soon as possible. If you’re unsure if your child has had the vaccine, check your child’s red book (health record).

Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Anyone can catch whooping cough, but the infection can be very serious in young children and babies.

“Getting vaccinated while you’re pregnant is highly effective in protection your baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life – ideally from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks of pregnancy. If for any reason you miss having the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour.

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

“Vaccination remains the very best protection for babies and children from becoming unwell with whooping cough. So, if you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated, or if your child hasn’t yet had the 6-in-1 combination vaccine, please come forward as soon as you can.”

For more information on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy, please visit the NHS website.

The 6-in-1 vaccine protects babies against six serious illnesses:

• diphtheria
• hepatitis B
• hib (Haemophilus influenza type b)
• polio
• tetanus
• whooping cough

If your child has missed their 6-in-1 vaccinations, contact your GP surgery. It’s best to have them on time, but children can still have the 6-in-1 vaccine up to the age of 10.

For more information about the 6-in-1 vaccine, please visit the NHS website.