BABIES born during outbreaks of whooping cough are more likely to die prematurely, even if they survive into adulthood.

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden found women had a 20% higher risk of an early death, and men 40%. Women also suffered more complications during and after pregnancy, with an increased risk of miscarriage and infant death within the baby's first month.

Luciana Quaranta, the PhD candidate who carried out the study, said: "The results show the importance of following up patients with exposure to whooping cough in childhood, particularly pregnant women."

Using the Scanian Economic Demographic Database, based on data from Sweden's extensive population registers, Ms Quaranta mapped five communities between 1813 and 1968 in an effort to understand how conditions at birth, such as socioeconomic status and exposure to diseases, affect people later in life.

Whooping cough, known also as pertussis, was widely considered all but eradicated in many developed countries until recently. The UK, the US and Australia have all had outbreaks of the disease in the past two years.

In the UK, the number of patients suffering symptoms notified by GPs reached 2029 in 2012, a rise of more than 2000% on 2011. Among those who fell ill were 134 babies aged under 12 months. Although no babies in Scotland have died in the current outbreak, 14 have died in other parts of the UK.

Experts recommend pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough to protect their babies.