Fears for Australia’s pregnant women as vaccination rates lag far behind general population

Risk of severe outcomes from Covid are significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby

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Obstetricians are alarmed by the number of pregnant women still not vaccinated against Covid-19, and say they are concerned misinformation is wrongly leading them to believe the vaccine is not safe during pregnancy.

The clinical director of women's and children's health at St George hospital in Sydney, Prof Michael Chapman, said six weeks ago he surveyed the 22 women in the hospital's postnatal ward who had just given birth. Just three were fully vaccinated, while 14 women had received one dose.

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