Lizzie Marvelly is pregnant and double-vaccinated. Photo / Twitter
Kiwi musician Lizzie Marvelly has posted a photo of herself receiving her second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine today.
Marvelly is 28 weeks' pregnant with her first child and is now double-vaccinated against Covid-19.
"28 weeks pregnant. Double-jabbed today. For my pēpi, for my whānau, for my koeke, for Te Arawa, for our whakapapa, for our community," she wrote on Twitter, alongside two photos from her vaccination.
Marvelly announced her pregnancy in July on Instagram with a too-cute-for-words ultrasound video of her baby-to-be kicking up a storm. Marvelly captioned the announcement: "Best birthday present ever. Baby girl Marvelly-Gerrard will be making her entrance in January. Both mamas extremely excited, and this māmā a little apprehensive for the months ahead given the strength of that kick!"
This will be the 32-year-old Kiwi musician's first child. The adorable video shows the couple's baby wriggling and kicking inside the womb.
She shares the baby joy with wife Lisa Gerrard, whom she married in an intimate ceremony in December last year, after their ceremony was initially delayed due to Covid-19.
Data from around the globe shows that unvaccinated pregnant women who caught Covid could become "seriously unwell" and have an "increased risk" of hospitalisation, ventilation and requiring intensive care.
Another danger is an increased risk of giving birth prematurely.
Tauranga Hospital antenatal clinical midwife co-ordinator Phoebe de Jong recently told the Bay of Plenty Times that the Pfizer vaccine is safe for pregnant women.
"Now that Pfizer has been given around the world to hundreds of thousands of pregnant women, we know that it is really safe," she said.
"Now that we have that information, we are encouraging all women to get vaccinated at any time - either considering pregnancy, in the first trimester, second trimester, any time in pregnancy."
Whānau Āwhina Plunket chief nurse Dr Jane O'Malley said one of the best ways to protect young tamariki was to get them immunised against preventable diseases, including Covid-19.
O'Malley said Whānau Āwhina Plunket had received "a few queries" about getting the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
"The Ministry of Health advises if you're pregnant, you can get a Covid-19 vaccine at any stage of your pregnancy.
"If you're breastfeeding, there are no safety concerns about getting the Pfizer vaccine," she said.
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