Pregnant Queensland women slow to take up free whooping cough jab

 
FEWER than 400 pregnant women in Queensland have taken up the offer of a free whooping cough vaccine this year.
Figures from Queensland Health show the free vaccine program has had a low takeup rate since beginning on July 31, with 324 mums-to-be having a free shot.
Health professionals are now planning to step up awareness among pregnant women about the importance – and safety – of the vaccine to boost the number of women receiving the shot.
They say administering the vaccine during pregnancy helps to protect newborns from the potentially fatal respiratory illness in their first few weeks of life.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said he was “very pleased’’ with the early take-upI hope many more Queensland women follow their lead,’’ he said.

However parents’ group The Parenthood thinks the rate is low and have welcomed moves by Queensland Health to raise awareness of the free vaccine.
“We’re concerned the uptake has been so low and we would like to see GPs and Queensland Health working together to increase the level of promotion and awareness,’’ The Parenthood campaign manager Jo Briskey said.
Loretto Lawrie, 34, is 36 weeks pregnant with her second child and said she was very supportive of measures to boost vaccination. “I have had all of my vaccinations, including whooping cough, it was recommended to me when I was pregnant with my son,’’ she said.
About 60,000 women give birth in Queensland each year.