A County Durham mum-to-be was left shocked after she was told she had been exposed to carbon monoxide at a doctor's appointment just two months before she was due to give birth.

30-year-old Ummay Alam from Stanley has said she had a "wake-up call" after a midwife shockingly discovered she scored an alarmingly high level in a "blow test" in July.

The first-time-mum did not at the time have a carbon monoxide alarm and the only gas appliances in their home was their cooker and boiler, which they said is serviced every year.

Ummay Alam, with her husband Mishbah and daughter Yaseerah, pictured at her home in County Durham, October 21 2024.Ummay Alam, with her husband Mishbah and daughter Yaseerah, pictured at her home in County Durham, October 21 2024. (Image: Lee McLean/SWNS) Looking back at the appointment, Ummay said: "I couldn’t believe it. At my previous midwife appointments, my results had always been level 1.

"Up to level 3 is fine, anything between 4 and 9 is cause for concern, and anything above 9 is considered dangerous.

"To be at level 6 was a shock as we get our boiler serviced every year and the only other gas appliance in the house is a cooker."

She added: "Stupidly we didn’t have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in the house as we never thought things like this happened. It’s been a real wake up call.

"Our cooker is only five years old; we bought it when we moved into the house, but looking back we had had problems with it cutting out for the past year or so and even had engineers out to look at it who didn’t spot any signs. We didn’t think anything of it.

"I was kind of aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, but I’d never have put two and two together as I was heavily pregnant at the time and a lot of the symptoms – nausea, fatigue, headaches – are all similar. I am so glad the midwife picked it up."

Following advice from her midwife, Ummay’s husband Mishbah contacted Northern Gas Networks, who came out the same day to carry out a full assessment on the property where it was revealed the cooker was to blame.

Luckily, the cooker was fixed and the couple welcomed their first child Yaseerah in September.

Following this, a warning has been issued to the public to be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and to buy a working alarm.

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Laura Ratcliffe, social strategy programme manager at Northern Gas Networks, has urges people to stay carbon monoxide safe.

She said: "We know bills have increased and so many of our customers struggle to make ends meet, but investing in a CO alarm should be an essential purchase.

"CO alarms are widely available at a cost of around £15 and could save your life one day. If you are struggling to afford an alarm, or keep up with home safety measures, contact your local advice service to find out what help is available."