PREGNANT women are being urged to protect their babies from highly infectious whooping cough after cases have risen by 25 per cent across the region.

NHS England said the the infection poses a serious risk to babies and young infants yet thousands of women are still not being vaccinated with 40 per cent not opting for the protection it offers to their newborn.

A regional campaign has now been launched to raise awareness of the risks and promote the uptake of the vaccine among pregnant women.

Whooping cough – known medically as pertussis - is an infection which can create serious breathing difficulties, particularly in babies and young children. It can lead to major health complications such as brain damage and pneumonia and can be fatal.

In the south region, there were 1141 cases of whooping cough in 2014 and 1432 in 2015. In 2012, 14 babies died in England and Wales following a whooping cough infection.

The vaccine, which protects the baby until their childhood immunisations at around three months old, is given at a GP practice or in maternity units at the point of the foetal abnormality scan, from 20 weeks of pregnancy.

During the winter flu season, pregnant women should also receive the flu vaccination, which can be given at the same time as whooping cough.