A pregnant mother who was left paralysed after receiving a flu vaccine has given birth naturally, defying initial medical predictions that she would require a caesarean section and might never walk again. Jade Wareing, 29, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) shortly after having the flu jab in October 2025 while 22 weeks pregnant.
Her symptoms began with a numb, sore arm and pins and needles in her fingers, which her GP initially attributed to carpal tunnel syndrome, a common complaint during pregnancy. However, within days Wareing lost sensation in her legs and was unable to stand, leading to her hospitalisation on October 11. She was diagnosed with GBS, a rare neurological condition that attacks the nerves, leaving her 'trapped' inside her own body. At her worst, she could only move her head from side to side and was unable to speak.
Despite the severity of her condition, Wareing underwent intensive physiotherapy and regained enough movement to deliver her daughter, Emmy Rose Layland, naturally on January 2. She described holding her baby for the first time as 'amazing'. Wareing believed the flu vaccine triggered her condition, although the risk is extremely low: according to Inflammatory Neuropathies UK, only about one case of GBS occurs per million people vaccinated, and the risk from the vaccine is lower than that from the flu infection itself.
Now undergoing at-home physiotherapy, Wareing urged others to seek medical advice if they notice unusual symptoms. She recalled feeling terrified and overwhelmed, especially as she could not feel her baby move during the worst of her paralysis. Her story highlights the rare but serious side effects that can follow vaccination, while underscoring the overall safety of flu jabs.
