- latest figures showed over 72% of pregnant women who gave
birth in September were vaccinated against whooping cough, up
from 64% last year and 58% in 2023
- coverage was 7.5 percentage points higher in July to
September 2025 than the same quarter in 2024 after a major
national outbreak that saw nearly 15,000 cases in 2024
- vaccination during pregnancy helps protect babies from birth
until their first vaccine at 8 weeks
Newborn babies across England will be better protected from
whooping cough as vaccination rates among pregnant women reach
72.9% in those delivering in September 2025.
New data released today by the
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show vaccination coverage
rose from 64.4% in the same period last year to 71.9% for women
who gave birth between July and September 2025. Monthly rates
increased steadily from 70.9% in July to 72.9% in September 2025.
The increase follows UKHSA calls for pregnant woman to come
forward in light of falling vaccination rates and a large
outbreak in 2024 when monthly whooping cough cases peaked at over
3,000 in May 2024.
Young babies are at highest risk of severe complications and
death from whooping cough. 11 babies tragically died in England
last year.
The whooping cough vaccine is offered to all pregnant women
normally around the mid pregnancy scan at about 20 weeks. It can
be given from week 16 and ideally by 32 weeks of pregnancy for
optimal protection but can be given later if missed.
Evidence from England shows that vaccination at the right time in
pregnancy is highly effective, giving 91% protection against
infant death with whooping cough.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director for Immunisation at
UKHSA, said:
While we're making excellent progress and the data published
today reflects the tremendous efforts healthcare workers have
made to ensure pregnant women are vaccinated, we want to ensure
every expectant mother is offered the vaccine at the optimal time
and understands that this vaccine is the best way to protect
their baby during those crucial first weeks after birth.
If you are pregnant and approaching 20 weeks, and haven't been
offered the whooping cough vaccine, please speak to your midwife
or GP today to find out how you can get your vaccine.
UKHSA continues to urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated to
help protect their babies from this serious illness.
Coverage varies significantly across the country. The South West
achieved the highest rate at 78.9%, while London recorded 64.4%.
However, London has seen substantial progress, with rates
climbing from 35.5% in September 2023 to 65.1% in September 2025.
Whooping cough, clinically known as pertussis, is a bacterial
infection which affects the lungs. The first signs of infection
are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat, but
after about a week, the infection can develop into coughing bouts
that last for a few minutes and are typically worse at
night. Young babies may also make a distinctive ‘whoop' or
have difficulty breathing after a bout of coughing, though not
all babies make this noise which means whooping cough can be hard
to recognise.
