Whooping cough (pertussis) rates have risen recently. Babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk.

Whooping cough can be serious for babies and may lead to complications resulting in hospitalisation and even death.

Pregnant women can help protect their babies by getting vaccinated.

You should usually have the whooping cough vaccine around the time of your mid-pregnancy scan (usually at 20 weeks pregnant), but you can have it from 16 weeks.

To help give the best protection to your baby, you should have the vaccine before 32 weeks. If you miss out, you can still have the vaccine later.

Getting vaccinated while you're pregnant is highly effective in protecting your baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life.

There's no evidence to suggest that the whooping cough vaccine is unsafe for you or your unborn baby.

Pertussis-containing vaccine (whooping cough vaccine) has been used routinely in pregnant women in the UK since October 2012. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) carefully monitors the ongoing safety of all medicines.

Yes, it is. Published research from the UK vaccination programme shows that vaccinating pregnant women against whooping cough has been highly effective in protecting young babies until they can have their first vaccination when they are 8 weeks old.

An additional benefit is that the protection the mother receives from the vaccination will lower her own risk of infection and of passing whooping cough on to her baby.

The vaccine is available from your GP, though antenatal clinics may also offer it.

You're usually offered the vaccination around the time of your mid-pregnancy scan at 20 weeks pregnant, but you can have it from 16 weeks of your pregnancy. You may be offered the vaccination at a routine antenatal appointment.

If you are 20 weeks pregnant and have not been offered the vaccine, talk to your midwife or GP and make an appointment to get vaccinated.