A pregnant doctor is urging women in her position to receive their COVID booster shots as she says it's the best way to protect themselves and their babies.
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Lisa An is due to give birth in April and said she's prepared the best she can in the lead up to the birth of her third child.
"The vaccines are really effective and I've had my booster," she said.
According to NSW Health, people can now receive their booster three months after their second dose of the vaccine, rather than waiting four months.
"There's a big difference between having two and three shots," Dr An said. "I definitely recommend seeing your doctor or midwife and talking about it."
Dr An, from Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid-North Coast, has been weighing up what social outings her family attends, given the amount of COVID cases across NSW.
"There's no vaccination for my daughters, who are two-years-old and four-years-old," she said.
"However you also have to weigh up the benefits of outings for your mental health, which is really important too."
Dr An said medical care throughout her pregnancy has been of a high standard.
The Port Macquarie Base Hospital, like other in NSW, will carry out testing of the woman in labour and their chosen support person for COVID-19 on arrival.
"Women are encouraged to have an additional support person on standby, should their initial partner or support person be COVID positive or is unwell at the time of birth," Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick said.
"If the birthing woman herself tests positive for COVID-19, full infection control precautions will be undertaken while her care is continued.
"In these circumstances, the woman should nominate a support person who is not in self-isolation for COVID-19 to be with her during labour and birth."
The Mid North Coast Local Health District recognises the importance for women to have a trusted birth partner/support person as a participant in care during labour and birth.
"The current NSW Health Maternity and Newborn Care guidelines state that a woman should be supported to nominate one person to participate in her care during her labour and birth," Mr Dowrick said.
