Covid pregnancy: Walsall mum 'didn't know I'd given birth'

Jo Udeze is recovering after being seriously unwell with coronavirus

An unvaccinated mum whose son had to be delivered prematurely while she was in a coma with Covid-19 said she did not realise she had given birth.

Jo Udeze, 39, had been hesitant about having the jab during her pregnancy but caught the virus at 30 weeks.

She became seriously unwell and was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital in August where she was told her baby would need to be delivered early.

The new mum went on to spend more than two weeks in an induced coma.

"I vaguely remember doctors having a conversation with me when they said they had to deliver the baby because there's nothing we can do for you while you're pregnant," Ms Udeze said.

"I'm hearing all this but I'm like I can't breathe, I can't process what you're telling me."

Between May and October last year, 96% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid symptoms were unvaccinated. Pregnant women were also found to be at heightened risk from the virus and in December were added to the priority list for the vaccine.

Prior to this, when Ms Udeze was pregnant, she said she felt there was uncertainty about what would be best for her and her baby and so she decided to wait until after birth.

Isaiah was born via C-section and is a healthy baby who his mum describes as "a bit of a handful".

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The first time she saw him was a photo, shown to her by a doctor at the hospital.

"I was confused, I didn't know what was happening," she said. "I said, 'that can't be my son, I'm pregnant', and I just remember feeling my stomach and thinking... they've taken my baby."

For another couple of weeks, Ms Udeze remained in intensive care and is now recovering from long Covid symptoms.

"Some people think you get it and it's just a little cold but it affects people in different ways and for me, it was so close," she said.

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