Flu Vaccination During Pregnancy

The flu is a serious illness, especially when you are pregnant.

Getting the flu can cause serious problems when you are pregnant. Even if you are generally healthy, changes in immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get severely ill from flu. Pregnant women who get flu are at high risk of developing serious illness, including being hospitalized.

Flu shots are the best available protection for you – and your baby.

When you get your flu shot, your body starts to make antibodies that help protect you against the flu. Antibodies also can be passed on to your developing baby, and help protect them for several months after birth. This is important because babies younger than 6 months of age are too young to get a flu vaccine. If you breastfeed your infant, antibodies also can be passed through breast milk. It takes about two weeks for your body to make antibodies after getting a flu vaccine.

Talk to your provider about getting vaccinated

by the end of October, if possible.

The flu shot is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their infants. You can get a flu shot at any time, during any trimester, while you are pregnant. Millions of pregnant women have gotten flu shots. Flu shots have a good safety record. There is a lot of evidence that flu vaccines can be given safely during pregnancy, though these data are limited for the first trimester.

If you deliver your baby before getting your flu shot, you still need to get vaccinated. The flu is spread from person to person. You, or others who care for your baby, may get the flu, and spread it to your baby. It is important that everyone who cares for your baby get a flu vaccine, including other household members, relatives, and babysitters.

Common side effects of a flu vaccine are mild. After getting your flu shot, you may experience some mild side effects. The most common side effects include soreness, tenderness, redness and/or swelling where the shot was given. Sometimes you might have a headache, muscle aches, fever, and nausea or feel tired.

At Comprehensive Women's Care of Columbus, we are currently offering influenza vaccines to our pregnant patients only due to a back order on the vaccines.

Please visit your primary care provider, pharmacy or employee health for vaccination if you are not pregnant.

We apologize for the inconvenience.