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What’s the Big Deal with Flu Shots During Pregnancy? By Dr. Ashley Tamucci
Flu season is here and unfortunately, many of the same rumors and misconceptions about the flu vaccine continue to pop up year after year. Contrary to popular belief, I am here to assure you that receiving the flu vaccination during pregnancy is very safe and actually quite important for two main reasons. First, pregnant women have compromised immune systems. Technically, a pregnant woman is carrying a foreign object (the fetus) in her womb. Nature does not want the immune system to reject the baby, so changes occur during pregnancy to allow the baby to grow safely. This is good for the baby, but not always good for the mother because she becomes particularly susceptible to viruses. Viruses that are simple nuisances to non-pregnant women can be deadly in a pregnancy. Typical symptoms of flu include fever, chills, cough, headache and body aches. In a pregnancy, however, the symptoms are more severe. Flu in pregnant women is more likely to result in pneumonia, hospitalization and premature delivery. If a pregnant patient suspects the flu, I recommend a flu test, if possible. The best place to receive a flu test is a walk-in clinic or primary care office as most obstetricians will not have the flu test in their office. Unfortunately, pregnant women cannot have the live version of the vaccine so they are regulated to the shot instead of the mist. Sorry to those of you who hate shots!
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If you are diagnosed with the flu, chances are likely that your OBGYN will be happy to treat your flu with antiviral antibiotics, like Tamiflu, which will decrease the severity and longevity of the infection. If a pregnant woman is exposed to the flu, she should contact her doctor. Not only will the flu shot protect mom from susceptible viruses, but it will protect the baby as well. A vaccine works by improving the immune response to infection. In the case of the flu, the vaccination is actually inactivated pieces of this year’s most likely flu culprits and within two weeks of receiving the shot, the body will make antibodies that will fight against the flu. Mothers share their antibodies with their babies both through the placenta in pregnancy and in breast milk after delivery. Therefore, if women get their vaccination while pregnant, then their babies will have passive immunity against the flu at birth. This is important because babies are prone to infection early in life until their immune systems mature. Currently, flu vaccines are not approved until 6 months of age. The biggest rumor against the flu shot during pregnancy surrounds its safety, however the FDA approves all vaccinations and the CDC monitors them after approval. In fact, the flu vaccine has been used for many years in millions of pregnant women and is not known to cause pregnancy problems or birth defects. There are also rumors out there that the flu shot leads to autism or other health problems in babies due to the mercury contained in Thimerosal — a preservative that has widely been discontinued in vaccines; however, there is no scientific evidence to support this fear. For those that remain concerned, manufacturers do make the vaccine without this mercury element.
Mothers share their antibodies with their babies both through the placenta in pregnancy and in breast milk after delivery. Therefore, if women get their vaccination while pregnant, then their babies will have passive immunity against the flu at birth.
Dr. Ashley Tamucci, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center located in Homewood, AL. She can be reached at (205) 877-2121.