Concerns are growing in Northland over leaked data from Northland midwives, which suggests there is a high number of unvaccinated pregnant women in the region.
Amaliyah Leef is expecting her first baby and is in her first trimester. She sought advice from medical professionals on whether to be vaccinated but says her experience has left her feeling confused and anxious.
“My first doctor was pretty firm as to 'like, don’t get vaccinated. You're on your first trimester, so it's better to wait but, when you go to your doctor's appointment, talk to your doctor but I'd advise for you not to get your vaccination.”
“There is a huge part of me that wants to be vaccinated for the sake of my whānau," she said.
Leef is one of a significant number of pregnant mums in Northland who are yet to receive their first dose.
Local midwife Deinah Payne has serious concerns for hapū māmā in the area.
'Makes my puku churn'
“I guess it doesn't come as a surprise because it's very well publicised that we don't have high vaccination rates in Te Taitokerau but yes it is concerning for me and it makes my puku churn to think of the number of wahine Māori hapu who are choosing not to be vaccinated at this time,” she said.
The leaked documents from Northland midwives said that 57 percent of the region's 847 expected mums were unvaccinated."
Payne urges hapū māmā to get vaccinated: “Trust your puku. Go to a health professional you trust. Your body is brilliant and we now know when you receive the vaccine, none of that passes through to your pēpi.”
Te Ao Māori News asked the Northland District Health Board for comment, to no avail today.
However, the Ministry of Health's website emphasises that vaccines are safe for pregnant women, no matter which stage of pregnancy they’re in. “We are very clear that vaccination and hapūtanga for covid 19 is safe. It protects māmā but it also protects pēpī in the kōpu and also offers protection after when māmā is breastfeeding.”
Payne said with the rise in misinformation on social media pregnant women like Leef saw some benefit in accessing real-life experience from mums who shared their experiences online.
"I'm on many girls' advice pages, women's advice pages, and there are heaps of people asking if it is safe to get vaccinated.
“Two doctors will be telling them two completely different things. So they're going for advice from other women who have been vaccinated.”