What is the purpose of a whooping cough vaccine?

The best way to prevent pertussis (whooping cough) is to get the vaccine. There are vaccines for babies, children, preteens, teens, and adults. DTaP is the childhood vaccine, and Tdap is the pertussis booster vaccine for preteens, teens, and adults. read more

Like many people, that is what William Schaffner, MD, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, says he once believed about whooping cough. That perception changed dramatically in 2010, when 10 infants in California died during an outbreak of the disease. read more

The amount of whooping cough antibodies in your body decreases over time. That is why CDC recommends you get a whooping cough vaccine during each pregnancy. Doing so allows each of your babies to get the greatest number of protective antibodies from you. read more