Safety And Side Effects
Seasonal flu vaccination has been recommended in pregnancy for several years in many countries. An increasing number of studies have shown it to be safe in all stages of pregnancy, including the first three months, and to have an important reduction in serious complications for the mother and baby. Read the abstracts of a US study from 2009 and a US study from 2012.
Another US study published in 2017 studied the effects of flu vaccination in the first three months of pregnancy. It looked at birth defects in over 52,000 babies who had been exposed to the flu vaccine in the first three months of pregnancy. By comparing this group with over 370,000 babies who had not been exposed to the flu vaccine, the study showed that having the flu vaccine in early pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of birth defects.
The most commonly reported side effects of flu vaccines are:
- pain, swelling, bruising, hardness or redness at the injection site
- slightly raised temperature
How Do I Get The Flu Vaccine
Contact your midwife or GP surgery to find out where you can get the flu vaccine. It’s a good idea to get vaccinated as soon as possible after the vaccine becomes available in September.
In some areas, midwives can give the flu vaccine at the antenatal clinic. In others, you will need an appointment at a GP surgery.
Some community pharmacies now offer the flu vaccine on the NHS.
Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season
The composition of trivalent virus vaccines for use in the 2017â2018 Northern Hemisphere influenza season recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on August 25, 2017, was:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 pdm09âlike virus
- an A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 -like virus
- a B/Brisbane/60/2008âlike virus
In addition to these components, quadrivalent vaccines will also include a B/Phuket/3073/2013âlike virus .
In California, some emergency systems were strained by a spike in H3N2 flu cases. In addition, some areas experienced local shortages of oseltamivir. The severity of the flu season seemed somewhat comparable to the 2009â10 swine flu outbreak. A February 2018 CDC interim report estimated the vaccine effectiveness to be 25% against H3N2, 67% against H1N1, and 42% against influenza B.
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Flu Vaccine Safety And Pregnancy
Questions & Answers
Note: There is no recommendation that pregnant people or people with pre-existing medical conditions need to get special permission or written consent from their doctor or health care professional for influenza vaccination if they get vaccinated at a worksite clinic, pharmacy, or other location outside of their physicians office. Pregnant people should not get nasal spray vaccine. For more information, visit Misconceptions about Seasonal Flu and Flu Vaccines.
More Reasons You Need A Flu Shot If You Are Pregnant
If you’re pregnant, a flu shot is your best protection against serious illness from the flu. A flu shot can protect pregnant women, their unborn babies, and even the baby after birth.
If you’re pregnant, a flu shot is your best protection against serious illnesses caused by the flu.
The flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women who are not pregnant. Changes in the immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women more prone to severe illness from flu, which can lead to hospitalization or even death. A pregnant woman with the flu also has a greater chance of serious problems for her unborn baby, including miscarriage or preterm birth.
A flu shot can protect pregnant women, their unborn babies, and even the baby after birth.
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What Are The Benefits Of A Flu Shot During Pregnancy
The foremost benefit of getting the flu shot is that it protects you and your baby. The flu shot can help prevent you from getting the flu and lower your risk of developing issues, such as pneumonia, that may affect both you and your unborn child. In fact, the CDC reports it may reduce your risk of developing an acute respiratory infection by up to percent.
Other benefits:
- Lowers risk of hospitalization. The CDC also reports that the flu shot may lower your risk of hospitalization with flu-related complications by as much as
The Flu Shot Is Safe For Pregnant Women
Flu shots are a safe way to protect pregnant women and their unborn children from serious illness and complications of flu, like pneumonia. The flu shot has been given to millions of pregnant women over many years. Flu shots have not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies. It is very important for pregnant women to get the flu shot.
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Quadrivalent Vaccines For Seasonal Flu
A quadrivalent flu vaccine administered by nasal mist was approved by the FDA in March 2012. Fluarix Quadrivalent was approved by the FDA in December 2012.
In 2014, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization published a review of quadrivalent influenza vaccines.
Starting with the 2018-2019 influenza season most of the regular-dose egg-based flu shots and all the recombinant and cell-grown flu vaccines in the United States are quadrivalent. In the 2019â2020 influenza season all regular-dose flu shots and all recombinant influenza vaccine in the United States are quadrivalent.
In November 2019, the FDA approved Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent for use in the United States starting with the 2020-2021 influenza season.
In February 2020, the FDA approved Fluad Quadrivalent for use in the United States. In July 2020, the FDA approved both Fluad and Fluad Quadrivalent for use in the United States for the 2020â2021 influenza season.
If You Get Pregnant Again Youll Need Vaccines Again
One and done doesnt apply when it comes to vaccines that are recommended for pregnant women. The amount of antibodies that you have in your body after getting vaccinated decreases over time. When you get a vaccine during one pregnancy, your antibody levels may not stay high enough to provide enough protection for future pregnancies, even if your babies are close in age. So, make sure you give baby number 2 the greatest number of protective antibodies and the best disease protection possible by getting your whooping cough vaccine each time you are pregnant. You should also get a flu shot every influenza season.
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Catching Flu When You Are Pregnant Can Lead To Serious Pregnancy Complications
So, you think you are pretty healthy or maybe youve had flu before, and it wasnt that bad. Well, changes in your immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from flu. You also have a higher risk of pregnancy complications, such as preterm labor and preterm birth, if you get the flu. Catching flu might also increase your chances for serious problems for your baby. Children younger than 2 years old are more likely to end up in the hospital from flu. Get a flu shot if you are pregnant during flu seasonits the best way to protect yourself from flu and prevent possible flu-associated pregnancy complications. Flu vaccine can be given during any trimester.
Influenza Vaccine And Pregnancy
Pregnant women and their babies are at increased risk for influenza-related complications. Pregnant women are also more likely to be hospitalized with flu than women of reproductive age who are not pregnant.
CDC has received reports of flu hospitalizations and deaths in pregnant women with influenza virus infection. It is important that we stay vigilant in protecting pregnant and postpartum women from flu.
Your recommendations make a difference to your patients. The first and most important step for flu prevention is a flu vaccine. Treatment with flu antiviral drugs is our second line of defense against flu.
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Is The Flu Shot Recommended For Pregnant Women
We know the flu vaccine is safe for both mother and baby. We also know that the flu is not.
Changes in a womans immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy make a pregnant woman especially susceptible to serious illness if she were to get the flu complications, hospitalization and even death can occur. The flu also can increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications, such as premature labor and delivery.
However, getting a flu shot during any trimester of the pregnancy can protect both mother and baby from serious illness. When an expectant mother gets a flu shot, she passes on antibodies to the baby that can protect her child for six months after birth.
These factors make getting a flu shot during pregnancy even more essential.
When Should I Have The Flu Jab
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn, before flu starts circulating. If you’ve missed this time, you can have the flu vaccine later in the winter although it’s best to get it earlier.
Do not worry if you find that you’re pregnant later in the flu season you can have the vaccine then if you have not already had it.
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About The Influenza Vaccine
Studies show that the influenza vaccine provides just as much protection for pregnant women as for other healthy adults. On average, it provides protection against influenza for 60 % of those who are vaccinated. This means that many who have been vaccinated may still be infected, but there are many indications that they have a milder disease course than if they had not been vaccinated.
The influenza vaccine recommended for pregnant women is given as a single dose and contains only fragments of the influenza virus, salts and water. The vaccine does not cause influenza disease.
The influenza vaccine does not protect against coronavirus or other viruses and bacteria that cause influenza-like symptoms.
Whats The Big Deal About Getting The Flu When Im Pregnant
The pregnant you is not the same as the non-pregnant you, especially when it comes to your immune system.
In general, your immune system is dialed down a bit in pregnancy. But interestingly enough, your pregnant immune system may actually respond more intensely in certain situations. And how you respond to the influenza virus is one of those situations. It is thought that this altered immune response, along with changes in how your heart and lungs work, are why pregnant women who get the flu often have much more severe symptoms, serious complications, and can even die from the infection.
There is also some evidence that having the flu in the first several weeks of pregnancy might be associated with an increased risk of your baby being born with certain birth defects.
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Key Facts About The Flu Vaccine For Pregnant Women
The flu vaccine is available between September and January or February every year, and it is recommended that pregnant women get it as early as possible during the season.
There is strong evidence that pregnant women have a much higher risk of serious illness as a result of flu, compared with the general population. The risks are highest in the last three months of pregnancy.
Vaccination against flu reduces the risk of complications caused by the virus for women and babies. Serious complications of flu include bronchitis, pneumonia, septic shock , meningitis and encephalitis .
There is also strong evidence that catching flu in pregnancy has an effect on the unborn baby. Babies born to women who have had flu are up to four times more likely to be born prematurely and to have a low birth weight. This may be because flu infection produces an inflammatory response in the body which can trigger premature labour. Flu in pregnancy can even lead to stillbirth or death in the first week of life.
Can Pregnant People With Egg Allergies Get Vaccinated
Most people who have an allergy to eggs can get vaccinated, with some additional safety measures. A person with severe allergy to any vaccine component, including egg protein, should not get the shot, even if they are pregnant. Pregnant people should tell the person giving the shots if they have any severe allergies or if they have ever had a severe allergic reaction following a flu shot.
People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine that is otherwise appropriate. People who have a history of severe egg allergy should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.
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Questions And Answers About Influenza Vaccination Of Pregnant Women
Is AFLURIA® QUAD the funded influenza vaccine for pregnant women?
Yes. One dose of the inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine is recommended each influenza season/year that a woman is pregnant.
Why is an influenza vaccination recommended every year?
Yearly vaccination is recommended for two reasons: first, because protection from the previous vaccination lessens over time and second, because the circulating influenza viruses can change and the strains in the vaccine usually change each year in response to the changing virus pattern.
Can a woman receive two influenza vaccinations during her pregnancy?
Yes. A woman who is pregnant across two influenza seasons is recommended to have an influenza vaccination in both of the seasons. In addition to the reasons explained above, a pregnant womans risk from influenza also increases with increasing gestation.
Is there a minimum interval between receiving an influenza vaccination at the end of 2020 and receiving one in 2021?
No. The 2021 influenza vaccination can be given as soon as the vaccine is available from 1 April through 31 December. No minimum time is required between an influenza vaccination in 2020 and one in 2021.
When is the best time to be vaccinated?Influenza vaccination can be given at any time during pregnancy. It is preferable to vaccinate from 1 April, as soon as the vaccine is available, well before the start of winter. The funded vaccine is available through 31 December.
Vaccines You Need During Pregnancy
Vaccinations during pregnancy protect both you and your developing baby from serious infections. They also help protect infants after birth, when they’re too young to be vaccinated.
If you’re pregnant, you should be vaccinated against whooping cough and flu. Talk to your health care provider or local public health authority about making sure your vaccines are up to date.
You should get the following vaccinations during pregnancy. They’re safe and help protect you and your baby.
During flu season, anyone who’s pregnant or planning to become pregnant should get the flu shot. The flu is more likely to cause severe illness during pregnancy because your body goes through many changes. These changes can:
- affect the immune system, heart and lungs
- make it harder for your body to fight off infections
Receiving the flu vaccine during pregnancy extends protection to your baby. This is important because babies younger than 6 months can’t get vaccinated against the flu. Your flu shot helps protect your baby from the flu after birth.
Vaccination with a non-live flu vaccine lowers the risk of complications from the flu during pregnancy and after your baby is born. However, live flu vaccines shouldn’t be given during pregnancy.
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Why You Should Get The Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine can protect your baby from flu until they are 6 months old. It can also prevent you from getting flu and passing it on to your baby.
Dr Maeve Eogan, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, talks about why you should get the flu vaccine if you are pregnant.
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How Effective Is The Flu Vaccination In Pregnancy Programme
The flu vaccine works better in some years than others .
US studies of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 found that pregnant women were four times as likely to develop serious illness and up to five times as likely to be admitted to hospital, compared with the general population. As a result of the evidence from this pandemic, pregnant women were added to the list of groups considered to be at higher risk from seasonal flu.
In the UK between 2009 and 2012, flu was the cause of death for 36 women who died during pregnancy or shortly afterwards. It is estimated that half of these deaths could have been prevented by flu vaccination. See the 2014 summary report from MBRRACE-UK .
Recent research covering almost 20,000 pregnant women over six years in the United States, Australia, Israel, and Canada, showed that the flu vaccine provided a 40% reduction in hospitalisations from flu. The PREVENT study looked at data between 2010 and 2016 to identify flu-related hospital admissions .
Studies have shown that women who have been vaccinated against flu are less likely to give birth prematurely, and less likely to have a low-birthweight baby . Other studies have shown that women who have the flu vaccine while pregnant are less likely to experience stillbirth .
Flu vaccination in pregnancy also means that flu antibodies are transferred through the placenta to the baby. This gives the baby some protection against flu for the first few months of life.
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So What About The Research Linking Flu Shots And Miscarriage
Many studies over several years have shown the relative safety of the flu vaccine in pregnancy. Although studies involving women in the first trimester of pregnancy are limited, those studies that did include women vaccinated in the first trimester of pregnancy did not show an association with miscarriage.
In a recent study, the data suggest an association between getting a flu shot and having a miscarriage within 28 days of the vaccine, especially in those women who were also vaccinated against the H1N1 strain in the prior year.
These results are surprising. One potential explanation is the specific inflammatory response triggered by the H1N1 vaccine, with a repeat vaccination causing an even more significant response to occur. As noted by the authors of a commentary published with the original article, One important takeaway message from this study is that seasonal vaccine formulations are not all the same.
Expert panels including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have not changed their opinion based on these study results, noting that the study included only a small number of women, and those results are not outweighed by the significant amount of existing data supporting flu vaccine safety. The current guidelines that the flu vaccine is strongly recommended in pregnancy, and is safe to be given in any trimester, remain unchanged.
