How should I manage a confirmed case of whooping cough in a pregnant patient to protect the newborn?

Management of a confirmed case of whooping cough (pertussis) in a pregnant patient to protect the newborn involves:

• Ensuring the pregnant woman receives appropriate antibiotic treatment promptly to reduce bacterial load and transmission risk.
• Administering the pertussis vaccine during pregnancy, ideally after 20 weeks gestation, to provide passive immunity to the newborn through transplacental antibody transfer.
• Providing clear information and support to the patient about the importance of vaccination and antibiotic adherence to protect the baby.
• Advising close contacts and household members to receive prophylactic antibiotics or vaccination as appropriate to reduce transmission risk to the newborn.
• Monitoring the newborn closely after birth for any signs of infection and advising parents to seek urgent medical help if the baby shows abnormal behaviour, breathing difficulties, temperature changes, or feeding problems.

This approach aims to reduce the risk of neonatal pertussis, which can be severe in young infants, by combining maternal vaccination, antibiotic treatment, and close postnatal monitoring.

References: The importance of maternal pertussis vaccination and antibiotic treatment to protect the newborn is supported by NICE guidance on vaccine uptake in pregnancy and neonatal infection prevention ³,¹.