Pregnant women are struggling to get the coronavirus vaccine because clinics are unable to guarantee they will have the right type of jab available, Labour MP Stella Creasy has said.
The Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna jabs are preferable for pregnant women because there is more safety data available.
The MP for Walthamstow, who is currently pregnant with her second child, said she had received five invitations to be vaccinated but she could not take them up because there is no system to specify she needs the Pfizer or Moderna jab.
"There are also pregnant women who have serious health conditions who still can't get a vaccine because of a logistics problem.".
Ms Creasy is currently working with doctors in Walthamstow, north-east London, to arrange for pregnant women to receive leftover Pfizer vaccines.
She said many of her friends who are pregnant have had similar experiences - and even if they have booked an appointment they do not know which vaccine they will be offered.
On 16 April, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises UK health departments, said pregnant women should get the coronavirus vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and any underlying health conditions.
Real-world data from the US shows around 90,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated, mainly with mRNA vaccines such as the Pfizer and Modern jabs, without any safety concerns being raised.
Based on this data, the JCVI says it is preferable for pregnant women in the UK to be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines where available.
"If you're pregnant, or think you might be, speak to your maternity team or GP surgery to discuss your vaccine appointment so that it can be arranged at a site offering the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, which is preferable for pregnant women.".
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