Vaccinations for pregnant women

Bridgend County Borough Council is supporting calls from the National Health Service, Public Health Wales and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board for more pregnant women to come forward and receive the coronavirus vaccine.

It follows warnings that the majority of pregnant women who are currently being treated in hospital for Covid-19 have not yet been vaccinated.

Evidence shows that pregnant women with Covid-19 are at a higher risk of severe illness and hospital admission compared to non-pregnant women with coronavirus. Furthermore, complications such as pre-eclampsia, pre-term birth and stillbirth are twice as likely in pregnant women with coronavirus compared to pregnant women who don’t have Covid-19.

The risks increase in the third trimester and for women with underlying health conditions, and I strongly encourage pregnant women who are concerned about the potential for side effects to speak to their GP or visit the NHS website for more advice. Colleagues at Public Health Wales have given assurances that the vaccines are safe and highly effective in preventing Coronavirus and reducing risks to pregnant women and their babies.

Research involving more than 40,000 pregnant women has shown that having the vaccine does not increase the risk of miscarriage, pre-term birth or stillbirth. Furthermore, more than 100,000 pregnant women across Wales, England and Scotland has been vaccinated without any adverse effects on their pregnancy.

Council Leader Huw David

For more information, visit the Covid-19 vaccination and pregnancy page at the NHS Wales website.