But if youre nervous about getting the flu shot during the first trimester dont refuse to be vaccinated. The flu vaccine given during pregnancy does not use live virus making it even safer than regular flu vaccine.
Getting an influenza flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu.
Flu shot in very early pregnancy. Getting an influenza flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu. Pregnant women should get a flu shot and not the nasal spray flu vaccine. Flu shots given during pregnancy help protect both the mother and her baby from flu.
Vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of flu-associated acute respiratory infection in pregnant women by up to one-half. If you get the flu with a fever early in your pregnancy your baby is at risk of developmental issues like anencephaly spina bifida cleft lip and limb reduction defects among others. The flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women who are not pregnant.
Research has shown that getting a flu shot decreases a pregnant womans risk of being hospitalized by an average of 40. Prevent potential fetal health problems due to the flu. Having a fever caused by the flu early in pregnancy might increase.
Multiple published studies as well as clinical experience have all supported the belief that the flu vaccine is safe and effective during pregnancy. A recent publication has reported a safety signal concerning influenza vaccination when given very early in the first trimester. In this study influenza vaccination when given in very early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of a pregnancy.
Getting the flu shot during any trimester of pregnancy is reasonable and safe and being vaccinated against the flu in the first trimester will not put your baby at risk. But if youre nervous about getting the flu shot during the first trimester dont refuse to be vaccinated. Just hold off until after you reach 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Is the flu vaccine safe in pregnancy. Studies have shown that its safe to have the flu vaccine during any stage of pregnancy from the first few weeks up to your expected due date. Women who have had the flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies which lasts for the first few months of their lives.
Pregnant women should get the shot not the spray the CDC recommends. Ask your primary care physician or obstetrician about the easiest safest way to get a flu shot. You may be able to get one during a regular prenatal visit or by visiting a Centra Care Urgent Care facility.
The CDC recommends getting your flu shot as soon as possible preferably in September or October. However as long as flu viruses are spreading in your community theres truly no bad time to get the flu shot. No risks seen with flu shot in early pregnancy.
NEW YORK Reuters Health - Adding to evidence that the flu shot is safe for pregnant women a new study finds no link between the vaccine and the. Flu can be very serious during pregnancy for both mums-to-be and their babies and leaves women at higher risk of complications and in some cases can develop into pneumonia. That is why we are encouraging all pregnant women to have the vaccine as soon as possible so they are protected from flu viruses circulating this winter.
When my sister was 18 weeks pregnant she received the flu shot. That night she spiked a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit and experienced sweating chills and. Early pregnancy symptoms not typically associated with the flu include frequent urination constipation heightened sense of smell and taste heartburn and breast soreness andor swelling.
The flu vaccine given during pregnancy does not use live virus making it even safer than regular flu vaccine. And if youre concerned about thimerosal a preservative used in the flu vaccine a thimerosal-free vaccine is available. Fears about the flu shot giving you flu are also unfounded she says.
Vaccination against influenza flu during pregnancy is recommended for all women especially during flu season November to April. This is because flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women who are not pregnant. Vaccination with an inactivated flu vaccine lowers the risk for complications from flu during pregnancy and after your baby is born.
Your baby cant get a flu shot until 6 months of age. However if you get the flu vaccine during pregnancy you will pass antibodies to your baby that will protect him or her from the flu in the first few months of life. This is especially important for babies that will be born during flu season between October and May.
Some people experience some mild side effects after getting a flu shot pregnant or not. The most common side effects are muscle soreness tenderness and swelling around the injection site. But some people might experience a mild fever muscle aches or a slight headache.
Getting the flu shot during pregnancy can help protect the baby after it is born. It is recommended that pregnant women get the flu shot as soon as it is available. Changes in the body during pregnancy can make a woman more vulnerable to catching the flu.
The flu is likely to be more severe in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. The study of nearly 9000 pregnant women who got the flu shot found that about 2 percent had a baby with a major birth defect such as a malformation in the heart or a cleft lip. The flu shot is very safe for both mom and baby.
In fact giving mom the vaccination during pregnancy provides added protection to a newborn baby who cannot get vaccinated until 6 months old.