Pertussis: What Every Mother Needs to Know

What is pertussis?

• Known as whooping cough
• A highly contagious illness that can cause:
  • Severe coughing^1,2
  • Babies may struggle to breathe, turn blue, or stop breathing
  • Serious complications like pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, and death in severe cases²
• Most deaths from pertussis occur in babies younger than 3 months old, before babies can be fully vaccinated against pertussis^3,4

Pertussis in Malaysia

• Pertussis cases increased more than 4 times in 2023 (1,203 cases with 43 deaths) compared to 2011 (248 cases)⁵
• In 2024⁵:
  • 475 cases of pertussis have been reported with 10 deaths⁵
  • For the pertussis mortality trend from 2014 to 2024, 33% to 66% of deaths were among infants aged 5 years and below

How does pertussis spread?

• The disease spreads through tiny droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or laughs¹
• Household members are the main sources of pertussis transmission to babies⁶

Everyone around baby can play a part

• Immunising family members and caregivers adds another layer of protection for baby^7,8.
• This reduces the risk of them catching and spreading pertussis to baby⁸.
• Ideally, they should get Tdap immunisation at least 2 weeks before the newborn’s arrival⁸.