Can You Get a Flu Shot While Pregnant?

If you’re pregnant, you’ve likely heard pregnancy advice from friends, family, doctors and even influencers. We know that it can become overwhelming when choosing what’s best for you and your baby. But one thing we’re certain of for nearly all to-be mothers: one of the best ways to protect your baby before flu season is to get a flu shot while pregnant.

Flu infections can become dangerous or even deadly in vulnerable people, including pregnant women. Learn more about preventing flu complications during your pregnancy.

Is It Safe to Get a Flu Shot While Pregnant?

When you’re pregnant, you have a lot of decisions to make – for you and your baby. And since there’s a lot of misinformation about vaccines, we’re here to clear it up so that you can make an informed decision that’s best for you and your baby.

One of the most commonly asked questions we’ve heard from patients is whether they should get a flu shot while pregnant – and the answer is yes, is almost all cases.

Who Should Avoid the Flu Shot While Pregnant?

In healthy people, even pregnant women, there are almost no risks to getting vaccinated against the flu. Since the flu shot contains inactive viral strains, you don’t catch the flu from it.

While the flu shot is recommended for pregnant women, there are some exceptions.

• Women who are sick with a fever or severe illness should wait until they’ve recovered before getting a flu shot. If you think you might already have the flu, make an appointment now at an urgent care near you for flu testing and treatment.
• Women who have previously had an allergic reaction to a flu vaccination.
• Women with an allergy to any component of the new flu vaccine.

Recommendations From Reputable Health Organizations

The World Health Organization and other major health bodies recommend flu vaccination for almost everyone, including pregnant women. These organizations are the gold standard for accurate health care information.

Extensive research has been done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration on flu vaccine safety. Studies have shown over and over that flu vaccination is not only safe but also prevents serious complications from the flu.

According to the CDC, all people six months and older should get the shot unless they’re allergic to the ingredients. This exception is extremely rare and doesn’t apply to most people. The CDC explicitly states that pregnant women should get the flu shot, but not the nasal flu spray.

Benefits of Getting a Flu Shot During Pregnancy

You and your baby both benefit from flu vaccination during pregnancy. Getting a flu shot while pregnant can be a life-saving decision for one or both of you down the road.

1. Vaccines Protect Your Own Health

Your health and well-being matter whether you’re pregnant or not. It’s a common misconception that getting sick builds your immunity to other illnesses. Your body will only build a response to the type of virus you were infected with.

The flu is uncomfortable at best and disabling at worst. You don’t want to end up severely ill when you’re already dealing with pregnancy symptoms.

Yearly flu shots protect you from influenza and the complications that can come with it. You may even avoid getting sick with the flu entirely.

2. Lower Risk of Flu-Related Pregnancy Complications

If you get sick while pregnant, does it affect the baby? This is a common question pregnant women ask when considering the flu vaccine each year. Getting sick during pregnancy can cause all kinds of problems for you and your baby.

According to the CDC, flu infections during pregnancy are linked with higher rates of pregnancy loss and lower birth weights. If you get the flu during pregnancy, you or your baby at higher risk of:

• Birth defects
• Flu-related pneumonia
• High fever (linked to birth defects)
• Hospitalizations
• Long-term respiratory complications
• Miscarriage
• Preterm labor and birth
• Seizures

It’s not worth risking your and your baby’s health. The flu shot is the best protection against influenza infections.

3. Antibodies Transfer to Your Baby

When you get the flu shot while pregnant, your body transfers the antibodies it produces to your baby.

Why does this matter? Flu antibodies passed down during pregnancy help protect infants. Babies younger than six months old can’t get the flu vaccine yet. Prenatal vaccination gives very young infants flu protection they wouldn’t otherwise have.

4. Lower Risk of Newborn Flu Infections

Newborns whose mothers got the flu vaccine during pregnancy have a lower risk of contracting the flu. You can keep your baby as healthy as possible by getting your annual flu shot.

Risk Factors and Considerations

What are the risks of getting the flu shot while pregnant? With all of the conflicting information out there, it’s natural to be concerned. We’re here to demystify the myths surrounding the risks and complications of flu vaccination during pregnancy.

Flu Vaccine Ingredients: Evidence for Safety

Some ingredients in the flu shot have attracted negative attention over the years. You may have heard of them — thimerosal, formaldehyde and aluminum.

Thimerosal is a preservative compound that contains traces of mercury. Since mercury is a heavy metal, some people claim that flu vaccines are toxic to the human body. Other ingredients like formaldehyde and aluminum are thought of as strong and toxic substances in mainstream discussion.

Dosage matters. Flu vaccines contain very small amounts of each ingredient to make the formula stable, effective and resistant to pathogens (germs).

All of the flu vaccine ingredients have been studied extensively and are safe in the doses the flu vaccine uses. Your body naturally produces compounds like formaldehyde and thimerosal on its own. In small amounts, you can safely process them with no harm to you or your baby.

The Real Risks Come From Influenza Infections

Vaccines are well-researched, safe and effective. Flu infections, however, can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women and babies.

Due to the hospitalizations and extensive complications the flu can cause during pregnancy, the real risks come from not getting vaccinated — not the trace amounts of chemicals found in flu vaccine formulas.

Timing: When to Get a Flu Shot While Pregnant

When should you get the flu shot while pregnant? Health experts at the CDC recommend influenza vaccination during any trimester of pregnancy. This means you can safely receive the flu vaccine during your first, second or third trimester.

Stay Ahead of Flu Season

Flu season runs from late September to May each year. You can get the flu shot as soon as the annual formula comes out, which usually happens during the summer months. Consider early vaccination (July and August) to stay protected as flu season comes around.

Benefits of Third-Trimester Vaccination

Your baby may carry more protection with them after they’re born if you get vaccinated during your third trimester. More antibodies will remain in their system to protect against the flu virus.

If your third trimester falls between July and September, prioritize getting your flu shot. Flu season ramps up starting in October, and your baby will need all the protection they can get.

Even if you aren’t in your third trimester, getting vaccinated by September or October lowers your risk of catching the flu and developing complications.

Get Your Flu Shot During Pregnancy at Centra Care Urgent Care

Getting a flu shot while pregnant can save you and your baby from potentially life-threatening flu complications. The benefits of vaccination during pregnancy outweigh any of the minor risks and side effects. Consult your health care provider for more information about the importance of flu vaccination during pregnancy.

At Centra Care Urgent Care, we’re here to protect you and your little one from circulating viruses with annual flu shots. Find an urgent care center near you and schedule your flu shot with us today!