Vaccination against pertussis

Pertussis, also known as “whooping cough,” is an acute respiratory disease characterized by weekly and even months-long periods of frequent and severe coughing attacks. Pertussis is particularly dangerous for infants, with the majority of deaths being related to infants under three months of age. Pertussis is one of the causes of sudden infant death. Complications of the disease include pneumonia, convulsive syndrome, and various extensive disorders of brain structure or function. At present, almost 10,000 children aged seven months to 14 years have not been vaccinated against pertussis in Estonia. As a result, the incidence of pertussis among young children has increased in recent years. As a child only receives the first dose of pertussis vaccine via the Estonian national vaccination program three months after birth, babies should be passively immunized against pertussis via the vaccination of their pregnant mother. Studies have shown that the greatest transmission of anti-pertussis antibodies through the placenta to the fetus occurs in the last four weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated with diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis vaccine during the third trimester, during the 28-38 weeks of gestation.

Our immunization pricing includes a midwife visit and the issuance of a vaccination passport.

See: Vaccination during pregnancy