Jump to content

Choose locationChoose Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Monkeypox Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Services
  • Primary Care
  • Flu and Pregnancy
Content

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.

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.

Closeup photo of pregnant woman

Will the Flu Vaccine Help?

Flu shots given during pregnancy help protect both the mother and her baby from flu. A 2018 study showed that getting a flu shot reduced a pregnant woman’s risk of being hospitalized with flu by an average of 40 percent. Pregnant women who get a flu vaccine also are helping to protect their babies from flu illness for the first several months after their birth, when they are too young to get vaccinated.

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 in any trimester of pregnancy. 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.

Related Content

  • Flu Services
  • Flu Care for Children
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • COVID-19 Screener

Services Near You

Stockton Medical Plaza I

Stockton Medical Plaza I

2505 West Hammer Lane

Stockton, CA 95209

(209) 957-7050

Turlock Care Center Urgent Care

Turlock Care Center Urgent Care

3100 West Christoffersen Parkway

Turlock, CA 95382

(209) 632-3909

Turlock Care Center

Turlock Care Center

3100 West Christoffersen Parkway

Turlock, CA 95382

(209) 632-3901

Ceres Care Center

Ceres Care Center

2516 East Whitmore Avenue

Ceres, CA 95307

(209) 538-1733

Lodi Avenue Care Center

Lodi Avenue Care Center

1300 West Lodi Avenue

Suite P

Lodi, CA 95242

(209) 366-1990

Kettleman Care Center

Kettleman Care Center

1335 South Fairmont Avenue

Lodi, CA 95242

(209) 366-2007

Patterson Care Center

Patterson Care Center

801 E Street

Patterson, CA 95363

(209) 892-2081

Dale Road Care Center

Dale Road Care Center

3612 Dale Road

Modesto, CA 95356

(209) 522-0146

View All Related Locations

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare Advantage
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Residencies and Fellowships
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2022 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences