Pregnant Women Reminded To Get Flu Vaccination

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 05 Oct 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reminds women, including those who are pregnant, to get their annual vaccination for the upcoming influenza (flu) season which runs from October through mid-May in the US. According to ACOG, flu vaccination should be a routine part of prenatal care, and the ideal time to vaccinate pregnant women is October and November.

Roughly one-fifth of the US population is infected with the flu virus each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pregnant women have higher rates of illness and death from the flu than other groups. The CDC estimates that each year 200,000 people with the flu require hospitalization, and approximately 36,000 die from flu-related illness. In 2005, flu/pneumonia was the eighth leading cause of death overall in the US.

There are two types of flu vaccine: the injection and a nasal-spray vaccine. The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine that contains killed virus and is administered intramuscularly, usually in the arm. It is approved for use in people older than six months, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions. The nasal-spray vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses and is approved for use in people ages 2 to 49. It is not approved for pregnant women, however. Women who are breastfeeding can choose either vaccine type.

The flu vaccination (injection) is both safe and effective for pregnant women and offers some immunity to their infants as well. Some pregnant women may be concerned about the safety of the flu vaccine because some contain thimerosal, a mercury-containing antibacterial compound. ACOG supports the recommendations and findings of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which found that there is no evidence showing that thimerosal is a danger to the health of the pregnant woman or her fetus. Thimerosal-free flu vaccines are available, but they tend to be more expensive.

In addition to pregnant women, other special high-risk populations should make sure to be vaccinated every year. These include people older than 50; people of any age who have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, a weakened immune system, or other chronic illnesses, and their caregivers; nursing home residents; health care workers; and household contacts and caregivers of children younger than five and of adults age 50 and older.

Some people should not get the flu vaccine without first talking with their physician including those: with a severe allergy to chicken eggs; who have had a prior severe reaction to the flu vaccine; who previously developed Guillain-Barre' syndrome within six weeks of receiving the flu vaccine; who are children less than six months old; and who currently have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever.

Both types of flu vaccine are effective at preventing the flu. Some people who receive the flu shot may have minor side effects, usually lasting only a day or two, such as soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site; low-grade fever; and/or aches. On rare occasions the flu vaccine can cause a severe allergic reaction. The nasal-spray vaccine may cause side effects such as runny nose, headache, sore throat, and cough in adults and runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle aches, and fever in children.

The American Lung Association has an online "Flu Clinic Locator" that can help women find facilities that are administering flu shots. Go to: http://www.lungusa.org.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the national medical organization representing over 52,000 members who provide health care for women.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists