Your health during pregnancy
Immunisation helps to protect you and your baby from infectious diseases.
Vaccinations available in the Jessop Wing Antenatal Clinic Level 1, Monday to Friday.
No appointment needed.
Please feel free to discuss any questions you may have with a member of our vaccination team.
Visit Tommy’s pregnancy hub which has more information www.tommys.org
Please note: the vaccination clinic is open between 9am and 5pm
Vaccinations in Pregnancy
If you are pregnant you can help protect yourself and your baby from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), whooping cough and flu which can cause serious illness. Vaccines give you both the best protection against these diseases.
From the 1st September 2025 flu vaccinations are available for pregnant women alongside the all year round vaccination offer for whooping cough and RSV.
Vaccinations are available at the Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, S10 2SF in the Antenatal Clinic - Vaccination Hub, Level 1.
Monday to Friday (except bank holidays)
9am to 5pm
This is a walk in service and no appointment is required
Flu vaccine - From any number of weeks of Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your immune system (the body's natural defence) is weakened to protect the pregnancy. This can mean you're less able to fight off infections such as flu.
Pregnant women are more likely to get flu complications (such as pneumonia) than women who are not pregnant, and are more likely to be admitted to hospital. Having the flu vaccine means you're less likely to get flu, or if you do catch flu, it is less likely to be severe.
Find out more about the flu jab in pregnancy
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Vaccine - From 16 weeks of Pregnancy
Whooping cough can be a very serious infection, and young babies are most at risk. Most babies with whooping cough will be admitted to hospital.
When you have the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy, your body produces antibodies to protect against whooping cough. These antibodies pass to your baby giving them high levels of protection against serious whooping cough illness until they're able to have their whooping cough vaccination at 8 weeks old. Maternal vaccination during pregnancy is the best way to provide early protection.
The whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine is recommended between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy to give your baby the best protection against whooping cough. If for any reason you miss having the vaccine before 32 weeks, you can still have it later in pregnancy.
Find out more about the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine - From 28 weeks of Pregnancy
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that causes coughs and colds. RSV usually gets better by itself, but it can be serious for babies.
RSV can cause serious lung infections (including pneumonia and bronchiolitis), which can make it difficult for babies to breathe and feed. These illnesses may need to be treated in hospital.
When you have the RSV vaccine in pregnancy, the protection from the vaccine is passed to your baby. This means your baby is less likely to get severe RSV for the first 6 months after they're born.
Getting vaccinated as soon as possible from 28 weeks will provide the best protection for your baby. But it can be given later if needed, including up until you go into labour.
Find out more about the RSV vaccine
For more information on vaccinations in pregnancy please follow the links below or speak to your midwife, GP or pharmacy.
NHS Website - Vaccinations in pregnancy
Tommy's - Vaccinations in Pregnancy
Maternal vaccination information for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers
Friends, Families and Travellers, in partnership with UKHSA and the Roma Support Group (RSG), have produced a series of short animations with key information on vaccinations. These resources focus on childhood and maternal vaccination as well as measles and whooping cough. The video can be found at Introduction to Maternal Vaccinations and is also available in alternative languages:
Exercise
The more active and fit you are, the easier it will be for you to cope comfortably with your changing shape and weight during pregnancy, the demands of labour and looking after a newborn baby. Regular walking, swimming and yoga are particularly good. It is not a good idea to start doing vigorous exercise if your body is not already used to it. Please ask your midwife for further advice.
Vaginal Discharge
Having more vaginal discharge during pregnancy can be normal as your body produces it to create a protective barrier against infection. Normal discharge is typically thin, clear, or milky white and does not smell bad. Contact your GP, Midwife or The Jessop Wing Maternity Assessment Centre (0114 2268091) if you notice changes in the smell, colour, or texture of your discharge, experience itching or soreness, or have pain when you urinate, as these could be signs of an infection or another health issue.
If you are concerned regarding sexually transmitted infections you can also contact Sexual Health Sheffield on 0114 22668888.
For further information on vaginal discharge please see the following websites:
Vaginal discharge during pregnancy - is it normal? - Tommy's Website
Vaginal discharge in pregnancy - NHS Website
Vaginal discharge symptoms - NHS Website
Painful Urination in Pregnancy
If you have a painful or burning sensation when you wee (urinate), you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection).
Painful urination can also be due to another type of infection, such as thrush, or the result of dehydration. Speak to your GP, Midwife or The Jessop Wing Maternity Assessment Centre (0114 2268091) if it hurts when you wee or you have vaginal discharge.
If you are concerned regarding sexually transmitted infections you can also contact Sexual Health Sheffield on 0114 22668888.
For further information on painful urination in pregnancy please see the following websites:
Painful Urination (UTI) in Pregnancy: How to Treat Them | Tommy's Website
Urinary Tract Infections Symptoms (UTIs) - NHS Website
Pregnancy can bring many new symptoms. Most are harmless but there are some to look out for as they may be a sign of something more serious. For more information see the Symptom Checker in Pregnancy - Warning signs to look out for - Tommy's Website.
Diet
Eat a varied and healthy diet throughout your pregnancy. Iron tablets are not given as a matter of routine, but only when necessary based on the results of your blood tests.
Foods to avoid
The following foods may contain elements which could be harmful to your unborn child and you are advised to avoid them:
- Soft/blue cheeses
- Unpasteurised milk products
- Raw meats, pâtés, liver, raw/soft eggs
- Shellfish, swordfish, marlin, shark (mercury content)
- More than 2 portions of tuna a week
- Peanuts and peanut products
Emotional and mental health
Your midwife will discuss your mental health history with you at the booking appointment and assess your wellbeing throughout your pregnancy. If you have a history of mental ill health, you will be cared for by a consultant and specialist multi-disciplinary team.
Our health psychology team support women and couples who are experiencing emotional difficulties related to pregnancy, childbirth or pregnancy loss, or related to a gynaecological condition. You can self-refer to their service or your midwife may suggest a referral to support your emotional wellbeing during your pregnancy and after birth.
Toxoplasmosis
This is an infection which is not usually dangerous to healthy adults and children but could harm an unborn baby. We do not routinely test for this infection but would advise the following precautions:
- If you do not have to pick up or handle cats, then don’t
- Cat owners, in particular, should take extra care since the infection can be caught from cat faeces—you should, for example, wear rubber gloves when changing cat litter
- Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing any food
- Ensure raw meats are stored separately at the bottom of your fridge and only eat meat which has been cooked thoroughly
- Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove all traces of soil
Smoking
Smoking during pregnancy has huge risks for the health and development of your baby. Quitting smoking during pregnancy is the single most important thing you can do to protect your baby’s health.
All women receive carbon monoxide monitoring as routine practice at every antenatal appointment. If you are identified as a smoker, you will be referred onto a high-risk pathway of care where you will be cared for by a specialist midwife and reviewed by a consultant.
We can help you to quit smoking at any point in pregnancy, but the earlier you try, the lower the risk of complications to your baby. Your midwife will refer you to specialist stop smoking services who will support you to quit.
If you need help to stop smoking you can telephone the Jessop Wing NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline on 0114 22 65627 for support and advice. You can also talk to your midwife or doctor. Our Trust has a no smoking policy which means you cannot smoke anywhere on hospital premises.
Alcohol and illegal drugs
The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.
Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk.
Using illegal or street drugs during pregnancy, including cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin, can also have a potentially serious effect on your unborn baby.
If you regularly use drugs, it’s important to tackle this now you’re pregnant. It’s best not to stop abruptly without first seeking medical advice as there may be withdrawal problems or other side effects.
Sex in pregnancy
There is no physical reason why you should not continue to have sexual intercourse throughout a normal pregnancy. Your midwife is happy to discuss this subject and help with any concerns you may have.
Medication
Generally women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are advised not to take medication that can be brought from a shop without first consulting with their midwife or a pharmacist. All prescribed medication will be provided by a doctor, such as your GP or obstetrician, after confirming it is safe to take. Please make sure you tell your dentist that you are pregnant or breastfeeding before treatment.
For more details on all of these subjects please see The Pregnancy Book given at your booking appointments.
- Screening tests for you and your baby - https://youtu.be/_afr5olIpTM
Increased BMI
Your midwife will calculate your BMI at your booking appointment and advise you accordingly. Patients with a BMI over 30 receive care may also receive an assessment from an anaesthetist.
Having a BMI of over 30 can increase the risk of pregnancy and birth complications and could have an affect on your unborn baby.
There are lots of services which can help you be physically active and eat well during your pregnancy and develop healthier habits for life. Your midwife can refer you to these services at your booking appointment or any stage in pregnancy.
We work closely with our colleagues in Physiotherapy and Health Psychology to support women with a high BMI, a referral into these services may be discussed with you.