Prenatal vaccines against whooping cough and influenza are made available in Eastbourne and Hastings

Last month community midwives at the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust brought in a new service offering the vaccines at 20-week scans.

According to the trust, more than 400 of these vaccines were rolled out in the two hospitals in January and the reaction has been ‘very positive’.

Sarah Keeling, specialist midwife for Public Health at the trust, said, “Those who are pregnant will benefit from the flu vaccine because it reduces their risk of serious complications such as pneumonia, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.

“Having the vaccine also reduces the risk of miscarriage or having a baby born too soon or with a low birth weight.

“The flu vaccine will help protect the baby who will continue to have some immunity to flu in the first few months of their life and reduce the chance of the mother passing the flu to her new baby.

“Helping protect against the flu is also particularly important with Covid-19 in circulation because people vulnerable to Covid-19 are also at risk of complications from flu.

“Getting vaccinated against whooping cough in pregnancy is highly effective in protecting new babies from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life.

“The immunity received from the whooping cough vaccine passes to the baby through the placenta and provides passive protection for them until they are old enough to be routinely vaccinated against whooping cough at eight weeks old.”