It comes after a report published last week showed how fatal the influenza virus can be for pregnant women. The national maternal deaths report showed that flu was the cause of death in one in 11 women who died in, or shortly after, pregnancy, between 2009 and 2012.
Pregnant women are at increased risk of serious complications and death from flu compared with other healthy adults. Flu can also affect the pregnancy, leading to stillbirth, prematurity and low birth weight.
Flu can also be serious for new born babies, who cannot be protected themselves by vaccination but gain some protection if their mother is vaccinated in pregnancy. The mother's antibodies from the vaccine help to prevent serious infection from flu for the baby in first few weeks of life. Babies are also less likely to catch the virus from a vaccinated mother.
Vaccinations are free for pregnant women, as well as other "at risk" groups including older people, children aged 2 or 3, and people with a health condition, particularly chronic respiratory conditions.
Councillor Sandra Samuels, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: "Flu is now largely preventable for pregnant women and their babies because a free and effective vaccination is available.
"The vaccine is safe during any stage of pregnancy and does not carry any risks for mother or baby. It also protects baby during the first few months of its life as immunity continues after baby is born.
"Furthermore, the vaccine is not a live vaccine and it cannot give you flu. Despite this, around 60% of pregnant women in England have yet to get the flu vaccine this winter, and this of great concern.
"I'd urge all mums to be in Wolverhampton who have not yet received the vaccine to speak to their GP, midwife or health visitor as soon as possible and book an appointment for their free vaccination, and indeed the same applies to everyone else who is eligible for free flu vaccinations this year."
PHE has developed a leaflet for mums to be about the flu vaccine in pregnancy which is available at Type=links;Linkid=4860;Title=GOV UK - The flu vaccination: winter 2014 to 2015;Target=_blank;.
- released: Wednesday 17 December, 2014