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Experts call for national action to lift uptake of pregnancy vaccinations and keep babies safe

Immunisation Foundation of Australia / Biointelect

• Data show too many women are missing one or more of the vaccines recommended during pregnancy.^1,2
• The resurgence of whooping cough in Australia,³  a highly contagious infection that can be fatal in babies,⁴  has prompted calls for national action to lift vaccination uptake in pregnancy and keep babies safe.
• Experts say national targets are needed now to increase pregnancy vaccination rates as a new whitepaper is released on Whooping Cough Day.^1,5

 

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 8 November 2025:  Leading health advocates, together with the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, are calling for national action to lift the uptake of vaccinations in pregnancy and keep babies safe from life-threatening conditions following the resurgence of whooping cough in Australia.^1,3

 

Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection that attacks the airways and causes uncontrollable coughing and difficulty breathing.⁴  It can be fatal in babies.^3,4  Last year, there were nearly 57,000 cases of whooping cough recorded nationally, more than seven times higher than the five-year average, including two infant deaths.³

 

An expert group of clinicians, researchers and immunisation advocates say national targets are needed now to build on progress and drive consistent improvement in pregnancy vaccination rates nationwide. The call comes as a new whitepaper, Maternal Immunisation in Australia, developed by Biointelect in collaboration with Immunisation Foundation Australia (IFA) and supported by Pfizer Australia, is released on Whooping Cough Day.

 

Among those leading the call for change is Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Catherine began her advocacy after losing her four-week-old son Riley to whooping cough in 2015; a tragedy that inspired the national “Light for Riley” campaign and helped make free pregnancy vaccines available for all Australian women. Since then, she has become one of the country’s most influential voices on vaccine awareness and access.

 

“Every baby deserves the best possible start in life,” said Ms Hughes. “Vaccination in pregnancy is the best way to protect our babies from whooping cough and other life-threatening infections such as influenza and RSV. With vaccination rates declining we need national action now.”

 

Fewer than half of pregnant women in Australia currently receive both the recommended flu and whooping cough vaccinations, with variations depending on location and health setting.^1,2,6  A third vaccination is recommended in pregnancy for RSV and was added to the National Immunisation Program earlier in 2025.⁶

Experts say early uptake is good, but note the numbers vary widely around Australia.⁵

 

“Getting vaccinated during pregnancy is not always a straightforward process in Australia,” Ms Hughes said. “We know healthcare provider recommendation is an important driver of uptake, but not all antenatal care teams are able to vaccinate, and less than a third of maternity services offer the same carer throughout pregnancy. This means women may slip through the gaps in the system and miss out on important vaccinations during pregnancy.”

 

Experts say national maternal immunisation targets, like we have for childhood immunisations, would drive accountability amongst all service providers to ensure every mother and baby, no matter where they live, have opportunities to access the best protection against these highly contagious and life-threatening infections.

 

“Setting national maternal immunisation targets is about more than numbers,” said Professor Chris Blyth, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician and Head of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases. “Every missed vaccination means another baby is at risk of serious infection despite effective protection being available. Setting targets sends a very clear message that increasing uptake of vaccination in pregnancy is a national priority and we all have a role to play in keeping babies safe from vaccine-preventable infections.

 

“This Whooping Cough Day must be the wake-up call we need as a nation to act now. No baby needs to be at risk of a serious or potentially fatal infection from whooping cough, influenza or RSV, but it will take a whole-of-community effort.”

 

Maternal immunisation experts say now is the time to move from good to great. Strengthening national coordination, ensuring consistency across jurisdictions and supporting healthcare providers to recommend and administer vaccines during pregnancy are the critical next steps.

 

To mark Whooping Cough Day, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia will host a pop-up immunisation clinic at the Canberra Pregnancy, Babies & Children’s Expo on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November, offering information and the opportunity to receive recommended vaccinations for whooping cough, flu and RSV vaccines to expectant parents. The initiative aims to make vaccination more convenient and highlight how protection during pregnancy keeps babies safe.

 

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About the whitepaper

The Maternal Immunisation in Australia whitepaper was developed by Biointelect in collaboration with the Immunisation Foundation Australia (IFA) and supported by Pfizer Australia. It brings together the expertise of leading clinicians, researchers, policymakers, advocates and health system specialists to identify practical, evidence-based solutions to strengthen maternal immunisation across the country.

 

Contributors in alphabetical order:

• Professor Chris Blyth, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician and Head of Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases
• Associate Professor Angela Brown, Clinical Midwife and Clinical Nurse (acute care), Program Director Bachelor of Midwifery UniSA
• Chris Campbell, General Manager for Policy and Program Delivery at the PSA
• Joanne Hickman, Immunisation nurse and former Nurse Unit Manager of Monash Immunisation
• Catherine Hughes, Founder, Immunisation Foundation Australia
• Dr Leanne Jones, General Practitioner and member of the Immunisation Coalition Board
• Dr Jessica Kaufman, Social and Behavioural Scientist and Senior Research Fellow within the Vaccine Uptake Group at MCRI (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute)
• Dr Lisa McHugh, Perinatal and Infectious Diseases Epidemiologist and Senior Research Fellow
• Professor Peter Richmond, Consultant Paediatric Immunologist and Paediatrician.

The Maternal Immunisation in Australia whitepaper outlines nine key recommendations to improve consistency, confidence and coverage nationwide. These recommendations focus on stronger national coordination, better data systems, improved professional education, and the integration of vaccination into routine antenatal care.

 

The recommendations are to:

 

1. Improve integration and access to Australian Immunisation Register data by linking antenatal and immunisation records across hospitals and primary care to enable real-time data sharing and coordinated care.
2. Leverage digital tools to boost maternal vaccine uptake through electronic medical record prompts and targeted text message reminders for pregnant women.
3. Establish national maternal immunisation targets and KPIs to support consistent monitoring, accountability and progress toward equitable, sustained improvements in coverage.
4. Align national messaging on maternal immunisation to ensure consistent communication across all states, territories and healthcare settings.
5. Equip antenatal care providers to deliver consistent vaccine advice through national training, resources and education about vaccine safety and benefits.
6. Elevate community voices to close coverage gaps by partnering with trusted leaders in First Nations, culturally diverse, younger and lower socioeconomic communities.
7. Integrate immunisation into routine antenatal care by ensuring vaccines are recommended and administered during pregnancy with appropriate support and resources.
8. Implement and tailor proven models of maternal immunisation that have demonstrated success, adapting them to meet local service and community needs.
9. Leverage primary care to expand access by enabling GPs and pharmacies to support antenatal services in delivering vaccines, particularly in rural and remote areas.

 

About Immunisation Foundation of Australia

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia (IFA) is a leading not-for-profit organisation and patient advocacy group. It was founded by Catherine Hughes AM and Greg Hughes, who were motivated to transform their personal tragedy – the death of their son from whooping cough – into powerful immunisation advocacy. IFA is guided by the vision of a world where every child and adult is protected from vaccine- preventable diseases. Its mission is to advance public health through community-driven immunisation advocacy.

 

About Biointelect: Bringing Innovations to Life, Step by Step

Biointelect is a leading strategic advisory and commercialisation firm specialising in the life sciences sector. As a trusted partner, Biointelect provides end-to-end support with consulting, CRO capabilities, and deep networks across industry, academia, and government. Biointelect guides innovations from early concept and clinical development through to regulatory approval, market access, and health system integration. With a proven track record and deep sector expertise, Biointelect empowers clients to navigate complex pathways and achieve successful commercialisation and healthcare outcomes. For more information, please visit: www.biointelect.com

 

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives™

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. For more information, please visit: www.pfizer.com.au.

 

 References

1. Biointelect Pty Ltd. 2025. Maternal immunisation in Australia: Exploring data, attitudes and antenatal care models to protect pregnant women and newborn babies.
2. McRae JE, McHugh L, King C et al. 2023. Influenza and pertussis vaccine coverage in pregnancy in Australia, 2016-2021. MJA, 218(11), 528–541. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51989
3. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). 2025. ATAGI annual statement on immunisation 2025. [Online] Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-technical-advisory-group-on-immunisation-atagi-annual-statement-on-immunisation-2025 Accessed 21 October 2025.
4. Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Get the facts on whooping cough. [Online] Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d13113028051c000126a478/t/68da010ca2a8bf4e15ba3f98/1759117580524/2025+Whooping+Cough+Day_Educational+Flyer.pdf Accessed October 2025.
5. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control. 2025. Australian respiratory surveillance report: 22 September to 5 October 2025 (p. 31). [Online] Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-respiratory-surveillance-report-22-september-to-5-october-2025 Accessed 21 October 2025.
6. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control. 2025. Immunisation for pregnancy. [Online] Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/immunisation-for-pregnancy Accessed 5 November 2025.

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