Vaccination against whooping cough for pregnant women
Whooping cough can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease in very young children, especially before they are old enough to be vaccinated against whooping cough. Whooping cough vaccination of pregnant women protects infants against whooping cough in the first months of life. The Danish Health Authority therefore recommends that pregnant women be vaccinated in the second or third trimester.
All pregnant women are offered free vaccination against whooping cough to prevent whooping cough in infants under 3 months of age until they are old enough to be vaccinated against whooping cough as part of the childhood vaccination programme.
Pregnant women can be vaccinated by their own doctor in connection with their second pregnancy check-up in pregnancy week 25 or in connection with contact with another health professional in the second or third trimester.
It is recommended that there be at least two weeks between vaccination against whooping cough and vaccination against RSV disease.
Questions and answers
1. Why does the Danish Health Authority recommend vaccination against whooping cough for pregnant women?
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
Whooping cough can be serious in infants, especially in the first months of life, before they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves at 3 months of age.
When pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough, antibodies are transferred from the pregnant woman to the foetus. In this way, vaccination of the pregnant woman protects the infant against whooping cough in the first months of life.
2. When should you be vaccinated against whooping cough during pregnancy?
The Danish Health Authority recommends that pregnant women be vaccinated against whooping cough in the second or third trimester. The vaccination takes place in pregnancy week 25 at the scheduled pregnancy check-up with your own doctor or in connection with contact with another health professional in the second or third trimester.
Vaccination against whooping cough is recommended up to one week before the expected date of delivery, as it is not expected that vaccination will have an effect on the newborn baby if it is given closer to the date of delivery.
If you are pregnant with twins or triplets or are at risk of premature birth for another reason, you can be vaccinated earlier in your pregnancy, but no earlier than pregnancy week 16.
It is recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against whooping cough during each pregnancy.
Pregnant women can always talk to their doctor or midwife if they have questions or concerns about vaccination during pregnancy.
3. Where and how does the vaccination take place?
The vaccination is administered by your own doctor in connection with the second pregnancy check-up in pregnancy week 25 or in connection with contact with another health professional in the second or third trimester. It is recommended that there be at least two weeks between vaccination against whooping cough and vaccination against RSV disease.
The vaccine is given as a single injection. Vaccination against whooping cough for pregnant women is given in the form of a vaccine that also protects against diphtheria and tetanus (lockjaw).
4. Should I be vaccinated with each new pregnancy?
The Danish Health Authority recommends that pregnant women be vaccinated against whooping cough with each new pregnancy.
5. Is the vaccine safe for the pregnant woman and the foetus?
The Danish Health Authority has reviewed the large amount of documentation available on whooping cough vaccination for pregnant women and, on that basis, recommends vaccination against whooping cough for pregnant women. It is well documented that whooping cough vaccination is safe for both the pregnant woman and the foetus. In addition, there is extensive experience with vaccinating pregnant women against whooping cough, both in Denmark and abroad.
6. Are there any side effects from the vaccine?
The most common side effects of whooping cough vaccination are mild and short-lived, such as headache, muscle pain, redness and swelling at the injection site and discomfort. The risk of serious side effects is very small.
7. Can pregnant women be vaccinated against whooping cough and RSV disease at the same time?
It is recommended that there be at least two weeks between vaccination against whooping cough and vaccination against RSV disease to ensure the best possible effect of the vaccines.
A single study has shown that the body’s immune response to the whooping cough vaccine may be slightly lower if the vaccines are given at the same time. However, it is not known whether this has any effect on how well the vaccines protect. The risk of side effects was the same regardless of whether the vaccines were given at the same time or separately.
8. When should the infant be vaccinated against whooping cough?
Even if pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough during pregnancy, the infant should still be vaccinated against whooping cough as part of the childhood vaccination programme. The child is offered vaccination against whooping cough for the first time at 3 months of age, and then again at 5 and 12 months of age. It is important that the child is vaccinated on time so that they are as well protected as possible against whooping cough.
9. What vaccinations are offered during pregnancy?
The following vaccinations are currently offered to pregnant women:
Whooping cough vaccination is offered in pregnancy week 25 by your own doctor throughout the year.
RSV vaccination is offered in pregnancy week 32 by your own doctor from May to January (starting in October 2025).
Influenza vaccination is offered in the second and third trimesters from 1 October to 20 December 2025, for example at a regional vaccination centre as part of the seasonal vaccination programme.
If you have a chronic disease or condition that puts you at risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, you are also eligible for vaccination against COVID-19 from 1 October to 20 December, regardless of whether you are pregnant or not.
Read more about vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza for people aged 65 and over