NHS Ayrshire and Arran health chiefs are calling on pregnant women in the area to get vaccinated after 'a small number of unvaccinated pregnant women' were admitted to hospital 'suffering from severe COVID-19'.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is recommending the vaccine for pregnant women, who they say may be at a higher risk of experiencing more severe COVID-19 if they contract it during pregnancy.
And to hammer home the message that it's safe, the health board has procured the services of an Ayrshire mum, who has shared her story to encourage others in her position to come forward for immunisation.
Amy Sheddon, 29, from Girvan, chose to be vaccinated when she was 32 weeks pregnant earlier this year. She went on to deliver a healthy baby boy in April.
Amy said: “My partner and I researched the vaccine by looking at the RCOG website to get our own information from a reliable, trustworthy source. We wanted to make the best decision for us as a family and our baby. Based on that I decided to get it.
“There weren’t any bad side-effects for me but the best side-effect was that I felt a lot safer because I had that protection against the virus from having the vaccine.
“A lot of my friends have asked me about it and for me it was definitely the best thing to do. I’d tell anyone that it would be a good idea to get their vaccine.”
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Associate Director of Nursing Women and Children’s Services Attica Wheeler said: “The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is advising mothers to be and those who have recently delivered babies to come forward for vaccine and that is very much the message we are giving to women in Ayrshire accessing our services.
"Locally we have seen a small number of unvaccinated pregnant women being admitted for care because they are suffering from severe COVID-19. The vaccine is the best way to get protection against the negative impacts of coronavirus and health visitors and midwifes are supporting women to make an informed choice about vaccination during and after pregnancy.”
To view a video regarding vaccination and pregnancy from NHS Ayrshire & Arran please click here.
Information on pregnancy, fertility and the vaccine is available in a number of different languages and formats. Please visit NHS Inform to access these resources.
Pregnant women in Ayrshire can access vaccinations at drop-in clinics taking place at mass vaccination centres in numerous locations over the coming days and weeks. In addition, the Ayrshire Maternity Unit at University Hospital Crosshouse will be hosting a bespoke drop-in vaccine clinic for service users on Saturday, August 28 from 9am to 5pm.
All the vaccines licenced for use in the UK have been through the normal rigorous steps to ensure their safety and efficacy before being rolled out to the public. When you come for vaccination you will receive information about common side effects as well as the chance to discuss any concerns you might have with a member of the vaccination team on the day.
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