LEADING health experts marked Whooping Cough Day on 08 Nov by calling for national maternal immunisation targets to lift vaccination rates in pregnancy and strengthen coordination across the health system.
With maternal vaccination rates for influenza and pertussis falling in Australia since 2021, vaccine-preventable infections are rising.
Pertussis notifications jumped to almost 57,000 in 2024, more than seven times the five-year average, and included two infant deaths.
Recent data shows fewer than half of pregnant women receive both the flu and pertussis vaccines, with coverage varying depending on jurisdiction and health setting - coverage remains lowest among younger mothers, First Nations women, and those from lower socioeconomic groups.
On the other hand, promising levels of uptake of the maternal RSV vaccine on the National Immunisation Program in early 2025 suggest there is an opportunity to enhance uptake of other maternal vaccinations.
In a new Maternal Immunisation in Australia whitepaper, developed by Biointelect (on behalf of Pfizer Australia) and the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, experts have highlighted the success of childhood immunisation targets but point out there is no equivalent for maternal vaccination.
Experts said targets will "provide a unifying focus for governments, health services and practitioners", and "create the impetus to lift maternal vaccine uptake nationally and drive accountability amongst all stakeholders to deliver better outcomes for mothers and babies".
One of the challenges impeding better uptake of maternal immunisation in Australia, as outlined in the whitepaper, is the fragmentation of maternal vaccination delivery, which is spread across general practice, obstetrics, midwifery, pharmacy and public health.
The whitepaper is calling for investment in system integration and workforce support, ensuring vaccination providers - including pharmacists - have the training, time and resources to discuss vaccination with pregnant women confidently and deliver it consistently.
"Pharmacists are uniquely placed to help make maternal vaccination easier and more accessible for women," said Anna Theophilos, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Vaccination Ambassador.
"With pharmacies now an established part of Australia's immunisation network, there's a real opportunity to strengthen access and consistency across the country," she continued.
"National maternal immunisation targets would help bring all parts of the system together from general practice to community pharmacy to protect more mothers and babies."
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