Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Flu Shots for Pregnant Women | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
I am 22 weeks pregnant and have been reading the news reports that say that women in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters are among those who should get flu shots first this season. But I haven't read anything about why we (or our fetuses) are at high risk. I'm very careful about what I take into my body during pregnancy and I feel cautious about getting a flu shot. But does that put me, or my unborn baby, at risk for something awful?— Cautious Mommy in Alameda , California | | | ANSWER |
October 30, 2000 | | | Dear Cautious Mommy,
It's wonderful that you are being so careful to protect your baby while you are pregnant. One of the ways you can help protect both your baby and yourself is to get a flu shot.
The reason the shot is recommended for women who will be in their second or third trimester during influenza season is that pregnancy increases the chance of developing a severe case of influenza or its complications, including pneumonia.
The flu vaccine contains only inactivated influenza virus, which cannot cause the disease. It may cause some redness or soreness around the injection site, but this will go away completely in a few days and won't affect the baby. In very rare cases, the influenza vaccine can cause serious side effects, but the chances of becoming seriously ill from influenza or its complications during your pregnancy outweigh the risk of vaccination.
This year, there are some delays in availability of the flu vaccine. However, the official recommendations put women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy among the high-risk groups that should receive the vaccine before the general public.
Please see your healthcare provider about where you can get the vaccine as soon as it is available.
— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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