Pregnancy and the Flu

If you’re pregnant, taking precautions to prevent the flu is especially important. Pregnant women, even those in perfect health, can become very ill if they get the flu.

For example, research has found that pregnant women who acquired the flu in the third trimester are just as likely to be hospitalized for heart or lung problems as non-pregnant women with serious, chronic medical conditions.

The risk increases as women progress in their pregnancies. One study showed that healthy women at 37 to 42 weeks are almost five times as likely to be admitted to the hospital during the flu season for heart or lung problems as women who are one to six months postpartum. Another study showed that pregnant women with asthma are at extra high risk for hospitalization during the flu season. The pandemic H1N1 flu virus of 2009 proved to be particularly harmful to pregnant women.

Because of these findings, both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that women who are or will be pregnant during the flu season get the flu vaccine.

Will the Flu Vaccine Help?

Most experts believe that the flu vaccine will protect pregnant women – and possibly their babies as well – against the flu. An experimental study from Bangladesh showed that the flu vaccine protected both the mother and the infant from the flu when the mother was vaccinated. Another study revealed a sharp reduction in flu season hospitalizations among infants whose mothers were vaccinated against the flu. Other research has shown a decreased risk of premature and small-for-gestational-age births among babies whose mothers got the flu vaccine.

Is the Flu Vaccine Safe for Pregnant Women?

Because the flu shot is an inactivated vaccine and contains no live virus, vaccine experts believe it is safe for pregnant women. Numerous studies of thousands of pregnant women have demonstrated the safety of flu vaccine for the fetus and the mother, as well as a substantial reduction in influenza among vaccinated pregnant women and their infants.

What Do Physicians Think?

The vast majority of experts, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, believe the flu shot is safe and can be given in any stage of pregnancy. Sutter Health strongly endorses this position. If you are pregnant and would like to discuss the flu vaccine further, please consult your primary care provider, obstetrician, or one of Sutter’s flu vaccine experts.

Visit the CDC website for more information on the safety of flu vaccine in pregnancy.