Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough is a highly contagious severe respiratory illness characterised by bouts of coughing which make it difficult to breathe. Adults can be vaccinated although babies cannot. In order to protect both mother and baby the current Australian Government guidelines recommend mothers are vaccinated during their pregnancy, from 22 weeks. Your antibodies cross the placenta and provide protection from whooping cough for the baby in its first 8 weeks of life. Protection is not life-long and begins to fade after 6-10 years. The vaccine Boostrix® can be obtained for free for both parents from your local GP. It is safe in pregnancy. It is also recommended that family and anyone else who will have contact with your baby should have the vaccine every ten years.
Influenza (Flu)
Influenza (flu) is a seasonal disease with new strains causing illness each year. Pregnant women are at high risk of severe complications of influenza infection. The vaccines are available in mid-March in Australia and usually consist of protection against 3 or 4 of the most commonly seen strains of virus in the preceding Northern Hemisphere winters. Influenza vaccine is also safe in pregnancy in all trimesters and is recommended. It can also be obtained for free from your GP and it too offers the baby protection after birth, for up to 6 months
COVID-19
As of the 9th of June 2021 RANZCOG and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommend that pregnant women are routinely offered the Pfizer mRNA vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. This is because the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby. Global data from large numbers of pregnant women have not identified any significant safety concerns with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines given at any stage of pregnancy. There is also evidence that maternal antibodies in cord blood and breastmilk may offer protection to infants through passive immunity. Women who are trying to become pregnant do not need to delay vaccination or avoid becoming pregnant after vaccination.
In Australia where the risk of Covid-19 infection remains very low it is understandable pregnant patients are taking a cautious approach to vaccination. It is nonetheless great that the option is now available and given recurrent outbreaks uptake is increasing.
Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster)
Chicken pox is a viral infection that is highly contagious. It is spread via respiratory droplets (cough, sneeze etc.) and results in a characteristic blister like rash. Many Australian women (90%) have had either infection as a child or been vaccinated. Vaccination is not safe in pregnancy. Occasionally, at times of stress or fatigue, the virus can reactivate and cause ‘shingles’. This is less severe and can only be caught via direct contact with the lesions on a person’s skin. Infection confers lifelong immunity which can be detected through a blood test, usually done at the beginning of pregnancy. If you are immune you are not at risk of re-infection. If you are not immune and you come into contact with chickenpox, you need to contact Jonathan immediately and he will arrange for you to have an injection (ZIG) within 96 hours of contact to reduce your risk of infection. If you are non-immune and planning a pregnancy vaccination pre-pregnancy is ideal. You should avoid pregnancy for 4 weeks after completing the vaccine schedule and avoid contact with non-immune pregnant women should a post-vaccination rash occur.
Hand foot and mouth
Hand, foot and mouth disease is an illness caused by a virus called Coxsackie virus. It is very common in children under 8 and, being highly contagious, frequently seen in children who attend day care. It is characterised by sores (rash) on the child’s hands, feet and sometimes in the mouth. Most adults have had hand, foot and mouth disease as children. If they do contract it as an adult it is often very mild. It is not known to cause any problems in pregnancy.
Parvovirus (Slapped Cheek)
Parvovirus is another common viral illness of childhood. 70% of adults in Australia have had parvovirus as a child which gives them lifelong immunity, easily detected by a blood test. When children have parvovirus they commonly are unwell with a high fever and then develop bright red cheeks (hence the name ‘slapped cheek’ disease). Adults though are usually only mildly affected. In pregnancy parvovirus can cause anaemia in the developing fetus which can lead to heart failure. If you come in to contact with parvovirus during your pregnancy, contact the practice so that your risk level can be assessed and immunity checked.
