- Data show too many women are missing one or more of the vaccines recommended during pregnancy.1,2
- The resurgence of whooping cough in Australia,3 a highly contagious infection that can be fatal in babies,4 has prompted calls for national action to lift vaccination uptake in pregnancy and keep babies safe.
- Experts say national targets are needed now to increase pregnancy vaccination rates as a new whitepaper is released on Whooping Cough Day.1,5
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 8 November 2025: Leading health advocates, together with the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, are calling for national action to lift the uptake of vaccinations in pregnancy and keep babies safe from life-threatening conditions following the resurgence of whooping cough in Australia.1,3
Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection that attacks the airways and causes uncontrollable coughing and difficulty breathing.4 It can be fatal in babies.3,4 Last year, there were nearly 57,000 cases of whooping cough recorded nationally, more than seven times higher than the five-year average, including two infant deaths.3
An expert group of clinicians, researchers and immunisation advocates say national targets are needed now to build on progress and drive consistent improvement in pregnancy vaccination rates nationwide. The call comes as a new whitepaper, Maternal Immunisation in Australia, developed by Biointelect in collaboration with Immunisation Foundation Australia (IFA) and supported by Pfizer Australia, is released on Whooping Cough Day.
Among those leading the call for change is Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Catherine began her advocacy after losing her four-week-old son Riley to whooping cough in 2015; a tragedy that inspired the national "Light for Riley" campaign and helped make free pregnancy vaccines available for all Australian women. Since then, she has become one of the country's most influential voices on vaccine awareness and access.
"Every baby deserves the best possible start in life," said Ms Hughes. "Vaccination in pregnancy is the best way to protect our babies from whooping cough and other life-threatening infections such as influenza and RSV. With vaccination rates declining we need national action now."
Fewer than half of pregnant women in Australia currently receive both the recommended flu and whooping cough vaccinations, with variations depending on location and health setting.1,2,6 A third vaccination is recommended in pregnancy for RSV and was added to the National Immunisation Program earlier in 2025.6
Experts say early uptake is good, but note the numbers vary widely around Australia.5
"Getting vaccinated during pregnancy is not always a straightforward process in Australia," Ms Hughes said. "We know healthcare provider recommendation is an important driver of uptake, but not all antenatal care teams are able to vaccinate, and less than a third of maternity services offer the same carer throughout pregnancy. This means women may slip through the gaps in the system and miss out on important vaccinations during pregnancy."
Experts say national maternal immunisation targets, like we have for childhood immunisations, would drive accountability amongst all service providers to ensure every mother and baby, no matter where they live, have opportunities to access the best protection against these highly contagious and life-threatening infections.
"Setting national maternal immunisation targets is about more than numbers," said Professor Chris Blyth, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician and Head of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases. "Every missed vaccination means another baby is at risk of serious infection despite effective protection being available. Setting targets sends a very clear message that increasing uptake of vaccination in pregnancy is a national priority and we all have a role to play in keeping babies safe from vaccine-preventable infections.
"This Whooping Cough Day must be the wake-up call we need as a nation to act now. No baby needs to be at risk of a serious or potentially fatal infection from whooping cough, influenza or RSV, but it will take a whole-of-community effort."
Maternal immunisation experts say now is the time to move from good to great. Strengthening national coordination, ensuring consistency across jurisdictions and supporting healthcare providers to recommend and administer vaccines during pregnancy are the critical next steps.
To mark Whooping Cough Day, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia will host a pop-up immunisation clinic at the Canberra Pregnancy, Babies & Children's Expo on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November, offering information and the opportunity to receive recommended vaccinations for whooping cough, flu and RSV vaccines to expectant parents. The initiative aims to make vaccination more convenient and highlight how protection during pregnancy keeps babies safe.
