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Whooping cough hasn't gone away—but new research shows one jab could protect your baby before they're born

Whooping cough hasn't gone away—but new research shows one jab could protect your baby before they're born

Scientists have found the whooping cough pregnancy vaccination passes protective antibodies to babies, as cases still high across the US and UK.

Close up of a pregnant woman having an injection

Hollie Bond

Published: January 8, 2026 at 10:48 AM

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New research is giving pregnant mums an extra reason to feel confident about the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine, and it is all about protecting babies before they are even born.

Scientists at Radboud University Medical Center in The Netherlands have found that when the pertussis vaccine is given during pregnancy, protective antibodies are passed through the placenta, strengthening a newborn’s immune system in those vulnerable first weeks of life.

For babies who are too young to be vaccinated themselves, this early immune boost could be crucial, especially as whooping cough cases remain high.

Many medical professionals will be hopeful that the new research will encourage more pregnant women to have the vaccination following a surge in whooping cough cases during 2024 and 2025.

In the US, the CDC reported nearly 28,000 cases of whooping cough in 2025, following a peak of 35,493 cases in 2024. This is a sharp jump from just 7,063 cases in 2023, with experts warning that falling vaccination uptake may be playing a role.

Globally, the trend is similar. In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 941,565 pertussis cases globally, compared to 163,388 cases in 2023. In the UK, the disease also rebounded, with 14,894 cases reported in 2024, prompting renewed calls for vaccination.

There is some reassuring news closer to home though. Figures from the UK Health Security Agency show a strong rise in the number of pregnant women choosing to have the whooping cough vaccine.

Nearly three quarters, 72.9%, of women who gave birth in September 2025 were vaccinated, up from 64% last year and 58% in 2023. Uptake has climbed steadily throughout 2025, following the recent surge in cases, with the South West leading the way at 78.9%, although London still lags behind at 64.4%.

Together with the latest research, these figures underline just how powerful vaccination in pregnancy can be, not just for mums, but for giving babies the strongest possible start.

MadeForMums' resident GP Dr Philippa Kaye explains more about the whooping cough, how it can affect babies and what to do if you think your child has it:

What is whooping cough?

baby coughing in mother's arms at home

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It is also sometimes called, the 100-day cough.

The symptoms of whooping cough are due to the bacteria affecting the airways leading to a cough. Symptoms tend to start between 5 and 12 days after you have been infected and have three stages.

1. The catarrhal/early phase

In the early stage, symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat and a mild cough, and a fever can occur, meaning that it is similar to lots of cough/colds.

2. The paroxysmal, or coughing phase.

This is where symptoms begin to differ from other cough/cold infections, which tend to improve after a few days.

With whooping cough, although sneezing, runny nose and fever improve, after about 1-2 weeks the cough begins to get worse leading to intense bouts, or paroxysms, of coughing. Your child can have many many bouts of coughing each day, and this phase can last a couple of weeks or more.

A bout of coughing means that your child is coughing and coughing, multiple times in a short period. Each cough involves exhaling, and in about half of cases, as your child tries to breathe in there is often a whooping sound. During a coughing bout, you might see your child going red in the face, during the minute or so of the paroxysm.

They might have lots of bouts one after the other, or may also cough up thick mucus and/or vomit after coughing episodes. Then in between bouts, they may be back to normal, running around and playing!

3. The convalescent, or easing phase

The cough of the whooping cough infection can last up to three months, hence the name 100-day cough. But in this last phase, the paroxysms of coughing gradually ease, becoming less frequent each day.

What should you do if you suspect your baby or child has whooping cough?

If you are concerned that you or your child has whooping cough, then please contact your doctor.

A swab can be taken from the back of the nose for whooping cough, but the results can take some time to come back, so if your symptoms sound typical of whooping cough, you may be given treatment with antibiotics while waiting for the swab results.

If your child isn’t seen for the first few weeks, the swab may well come back negative as the bacteria may no longer be in the body but the results of the infection in terms of the cough, can take much longer to go away. Sometimes a blood test is then used to confirm the diagnosis.

If your baby is under 6 months old, if your child is getting worse or not improving, or if you are pregnant and think you either have whooping cough or have been in contact with someone who has it, please see your GP or phone 111 urgently.

Why has there been a resurgence in whooping cough cases?

Whooping cough seems to be a cyclical infection, in that there are peaks of infection every 3 to 5 years. The last peak seen in the UK was in 2016, so we were overdue for a peak of infection and it is thought that the pandemic may have delayed this, as we all restricted and changed our behaviours.

Although we have an immunisation against whooping cough, not everyone takes the vaccines, including pregnant women.

Is whooping cough more dangerous for babies and children than adults?

The cough of whooping cough is miserable, with children often vomiting after coughing. Most people will get better, in time, but some may develop complications, which are more common in babies under 12 months old.

Complications include pneumonia as well as painful ribs and even a hernia from the raised pressure in the tummy during coughing.

Dehydration can occur and can be fatal, from not drinking due to coughing and vomiting, if your child stops urinating, or if the urine appears very concentrated and in small amounts, if they appear to be more unwell, difficult to rouse or you have concerns please seek urgent medical help.

A medical emergency that can occur is a pneumothorax, which is a collapsed lung. If your child appears more unwell, if they are having difficulty breathing, are breathing extremely rapidly, appear blue/grey around the mouth or face, have a seizure or stop breathing phone 999.

How can parents protect themselves and their children against whooping cough?

The old saying prevention is better than cure remains true and there is a vaccine against whooping cough. This is routinely offered as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine which is given to children aged 2 and 3 years and 4 months old before a booster dose at the pre-school boosters appointment, which are given between ages 3 years 4 months and age 5.

In addition to this, if you are pregnant you will be offered a whooping cough vaccine. This is actually to try and protect your baby before they are old enough to get their vaccines. Please see our feature about whooping cough vaccinations for more information.

If you have been in contact with someone who has had whooping cough then you may be eligible for antibiotics to try and prevent you from getting the condition. These are often given to babies under 6 months old as they are more likely to develop complications.

No vaccine is 100% effective, but giving the whooping cough vaccine to women during pregnancy is 90% effective in preventing whooping cough in babies under 3 months old.

What is used to treat whooping cough?

Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics. Make sure that your child stays hydrated, so give plenty of fluids and if they are uncomfortable/unwell with a fever then paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given. As always if you have concerns please seek medical advice.

How long does whooping cough last and how long are you contagious?

While the symptoms of whooping cough can last approximately three months, it is most contagious for the first three weeks of the infection and is spread by breathing in droplets containing the bacteria in the air, from coughs and sneezes etc.

If your child has whooping cough, you will be advised to keep your child at home/off school for 2 days after starting antibiotics for whooping cough, or for 2 weeks after symptoms start if antibiotics are not used.

If you don’t use antibiotics, even if you are still coughing, after 14 days children can go back to school. Sticking to these rules helps prevent the spread of the infection.

And remember, it is never too late to be vaccinated against conditions like whooping cough if you did not give your little ones the vaccines when they were babies, please contact your GP for more information.

Please note: this advice is not personalised or meant to replace individual advice given to you about your child by your doctor or medical team. As always, if you are concerned about your child’s health then please seek medical advice.

Authors

journalist and two young kids sat on a bench in France for a review of Eurocamp

Hollie BondSenior Digital Journalist

Hollie is Senior Digital Journalist at MadeForMums. She writes articles about pregnancy, parenting, child health and getting pregnant. She has written for a number of national lifestyle magazines and websites over the past 12 years including Family History Monthly, You and Your Wedding and Muddy Stilettos. She has two children aged 5 and 8 and hasn't slept since 2017!