Flu Shots and Pregnancy

Filed in archive Pregnancy on June 14, 2007

okay to get your flu shot when you're pregnant? According to ArcaMax, it's not only okay, but an excellent idea to protect the health of your baby:

U.S. researchers say giving flu shots to pregnant women may kick-start their baby's immune system.

A newly developed technique known as MHC tetramer staining has facilitated the detection of antigen-specific T cells, Columbia University Medical Center said Friday in a release.

Families.com advises:

Pregnant women are considered a high risk group for influenza. The recommendation is for anyone in a high risk group be vaccinated prior to the beginning of flu season. Most doctors still recommend waiting until after the first trimester to get the shot. It used to be thought that the vaccine wasn't safe in the first trimester of pregnancy and most doctors still follow this rule to be on the safe side.

The biggest reason to get the vaccine is to avoid the flu and any possible complications for you or the baby. In most cases, the mother and baby are not harmed by the flu, but complications can occur.