Whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy will be permanently added to the vaccination programme – the aim is to prevent cases of whooping cough in babies
THL has recommended the dtap vaccination providing protection against whooping cough (pertussis) in pregnancy since last August because of an increase in the number of whooping cough cases. As from 1 July, the vaccination will be included in the national vaccination programme for them.
In future, those who are pregnant will be offered the dtap vaccine protecting against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus as part of the national vaccination programme.
The vaccinations are aimed at preventing cases of whooping cough in babies. Whooping cough is dangerous for children aged under 1 year and particularly for newborns, who have not yet had the first dose of whooping cough vaccine given at the age of three months.
“It is safe to have the vaccination during pregnancy. The antibodies it causes are transferred to the fetus and provide the newborn with effective protection against whooping cough,” says Hanna Nohynek, Chief Physician at THL.
THL has recommended the dtap vaccination providing protection against whooping cough since August 2024 because of an increase in the number of whooping cough cases. As from 1 July 2025, it will be included in the national vaccination programme during pregnancy. The vaccination is voluntary and free of charge.
"Whooping cough usually occurs in cycles of 3–5 years. The vaccine provides good protection against a very serious disease but cannot stop the infection and thus the circulation of the bacteria. Therefore, newborns can best be protected by vaccinating mothers during pregnancy,” says Nohynek.
More than one half of pregnant women have already taken a whooping cough vaccine in Finland.
The whooping cough booster vaccine in pregnancy has been offered in nearly all EU countries and in many other high-income countries for several years.
The vaccine is administered during visits to maternity and child health clinics
THL recommends a booster dose of the dtap vaccine between weeks 16 and 32 of pregnancy so that antibodies protecting against whooping cough can be transferred to the fetus before birth. If necessary, the vaccine can also be taken at a later stage of pregnancy.
The vaccine is offered by wellbeing services counties and maternity and child health clinics. The vaccine can be given, for example, as part of the health check scheduled for weeks 22–24 of pregnancy or in connection with some other regular health check.
In the national vaccination programme, whooping cough vaccines are given to children at maternity and child health clinics at the ages of three, five and 12 months and at the age of 4 years. The child’s vaccine programme will be continued normally regardless of whether the mother has been given the whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy or not.
The national vaccination programme also recommends the dtap vaccine for 14–15 and 25-year-olds.
The aim of the vaccination programme is to protect people living in Finland against vaccine-preventable diseases
The objective of the national vaccination programme is to protect Finns against diseases preventable by vaccination as effectively and cost-efficiently as possible. Thanks to vaccinations, many diseases and their secondary diseases have become very rare, or they have been eradicated in our country.
Factors such as changes in the prevalence of infectious diseases and the availability and price of vaccines affect the vaccinations and vaccination schedules included in the vaccination programme.
THL monitors the implementation and effectiveness of the national vaccination programme.
Further information
Finnish national vaccination programme (THL)
Hanna Nohynek
Chief Physician
THL
tel. +358 29 524 8246
[email protected]
Satu Kärkkäinen
Specialist
THL
tel. +358 29 524 8261
[email protected]
