Q&A
Is It Safe To Get Flu Vaccine During Pregnancy?
Question:
Is it safe to get a flu shot while pregnant?
Yes, the influenza vaccine is an inactivated vaccine, which experts consider safe during any stage of pregnancy. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that women who will be beyond the first trimester of pregnancy during the flu season to get vaccinated.
The flu can be more severe in expecting moms-to-be, so if you have medical conditions that increase your risk for complications from influenza, experts strongly recommend getting vaccination before the influenza season.
Plus, recent research also showed that flu shots have protective effects for your baby: Infants whose mothers received the flu shot while pregnant were found less likely to be infected with flu or hospitalized for respiratory illnesses in their first six months of life, according to a report published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Because young children are at higher risk of complications from infection with the influenza virus, getting your vaccine shot is actually one of the most important things you can do.
