The Cheshire & Merseyside Health Care Partnership has joined the call for pregnant women to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

England’s top midwife, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, is today urging expectant mums to get the Covid-19 vaccine after new data shows the overwhelming majority of pregnant women hospitalised with the virus have not had a jab.

She has also written to fellow midwives and GP practices across the country stressing the need to encourage pregnant women to get the jab to protect them and their baby.

Director of the Cheshire and Merseyside Vaccine Programme, Jayne Wood has echoed the call, reminding women that getting the Covid-19 vaccine is the best way to protect them and their unborn children.

She said: “Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect you and your baby against COVID-19. It really is that simple. Hundreds of thousands of pregnant women worldwide have been vaccinated, safely and effectively protecting themselves against COVID and dramatically reducing their risk of serious illness or harm to their baby.

“It’s so important for pregnant women to get their jab, particularly with the virus being so prevalent and the Delta variant proving itself to be so much more transmissible. If you have questions, talk to your midwife, talk to your obstetrician, talk to your GP. Get the answers you need and get the jab.”

The new national figures, released today, also reveal that no pregnant women with both doses of the vaccine had been admitted to hospital.

Since May, just three women had been admitted after having their first vaccine. In contrast, almost all (98%) pregnant women admitted to hospital with COVID-19 had not been jabbed.

Dr Angela Kerrigan, Consultant Midwife at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said: “The vaccine is the safest and most effective way for mums to protect themselves and their baby from COVID-19. The vaccine has been shown to be effective and safe for women carrying a baby. Having the vaccine takes seconds. In some cases there may be some mild side-effects, as with many other vaccines but this is minimal in comparison to the symptoms of COVID-19.

“As a midwife, I would encourage mums to get the vaccination and ensure they have both doses to protect themselves and their unborn baby. If anyone has any concerns or needs any further information, they should speak to their midwife, GP or an obstetrician.”

Mum-of-three Sian Howard, 29, who lives in Wallasey in Wirral had her first dose while she was pregnant and is awaiting her second dose. She gave birth to her daughter Liara-Mae Simpson on 24th June. She wanted to have the vaccine as she has two daughters, Sophia Howard, aged 7 and Olivia Howard, aged 6, who both have the metabolic disorder propionic-acidemia.

Sian said: “I’ve got two disabled little girls. I got the vaccine to protect them and anyone vulnerable. It can limit the seriousness of COVID-19. I feel like I’ve done everything I can to prevent my children from getting it and to keep my children safe.

“I was scared of catching COVID in my third trimester so I wanted to get the vaccine. I only had a sore arm. I’d rather be ill for a few days from the vaccine than catch COVID.”