Three unvaccinated pregnant mums fighting for life with Covid at same hospital

THREE unvaccinated pregnant women are fighting for life with Covid at the same hospital.

The trio are all in Birmingham City Hospital, with doctors warning cases of seriously ill mums-to-be are increasing.

One of the women's babies had to be delivered by C-section as the mum was stricken with the virus in neonatal care.

At least 30 pregnant mums have been in ICUs across Birmingham with Delta since April,

Dr Sarbjit Clare said: "We understand women are nervous but it is absolutely vital they come forward for their vaccines.

"I currently have two women in the acute medical ward who are on oxygen and steroids, with Covid on their chests - they will recover but they are very unwell.

 "In our intensive care unit we have three pregnant women with Covid-19 who are even more unwell. It is very worrying."

Health chiefs have also urged pregnant women to get their vaccination.

Data from PHE last month showed 51,724 pregnant women in England have received at least one dose.

These were all women aged under 50 years of age, and of these, 20,648 women have received their second dose.

GET JABBED

Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We recommend vaccination in pregnancy as it’s the most effective way of protecting women and their babies from severe illness and premature birth.

“We are concerned that increasing rates of Covid-19 infection will adversely impact pregnant women. Of the pregnant women in hospital with Covid-19 last week, 95 per cent were unvaccinated.

"We hope this reassuring data will help those undecided consider taking up the offer of a vaccine.”

There has been a surge in the number of pregnant women admitted to hospital with the coronavirus.

Numbers have soared more than fivefold since the end of May leading to Government ministers and health leaders urging women to get vaccinated.

Data from Oxford University suggested the Delta variant is causing more serious illness in pregnant women.

Half of those taken to hospital are now suffering “moderate to severe disease”, up from a quarter during the first wave.

Marian Knight, the study’s chief investigator, said: "It is extremely good news that so few vaccinated pregnant women have been admitted to hospital with Covid-19.

"However, it is very concerning that admissions of pregnant women to hospital with Covid-19 are increasing and that pregnant women appear to be more severely affected by the Delta variant of the disease.

She added: "I cannot emphasise more strongly how important it is for pregnant women to get vaccinated in order to protect both them and their baby."