Whooping cough vaccination rates recover among pregnant women

Source: UK Health Security Agency, 26 June 2025

New figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show a significant and sustained increase in the number of pregnant women coming forward for the whooping cough vaccine.

The latest data reveals a consistent seven-month upward trend in maternal pertussis vaccination rates. The rates climbed from 59.0% in May 2024 to nearly 73% in March this year. Uptake rates are now almost as high as the peak at the start of the programme.

UKHSA has been urging pregnant women to come forward in light of falling vaccination rates and against the backdrop of a large whooping cough outbreak in 2023 to 2024 in which monthly 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.

Evidence from England shows that vaccination at the right time in pregnancy is highly effective, giving 91% protection against infant death.

All babies are given 3 doses of the 6-in-1 jab at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio. A pre-school booster is then offered at 3 years 4 months.