Thanks to Amanda from the Nutritionist Reviews for sharing the importance of getting a flu shot during pregnancy.
The importance of getting a flu shot during pregnancy including the risks of what may happen if you do not get a flu shot when pregnant.
I’m passionate about the importance of vaccinations during any period of your life including for babies, children, adults and the elderly. During pregnancy is a very important time to ensure that you’re vaccinated as well. As you know, I am expecting our third baby in July of this year. We are right in the midst of cold and flu season and I am working so hard not to get sick.
I am washing my hands, trying to keep my kids away from some of the germs, eating a diet rich in nutrients to boost my immune system, exercising regularly and *trying* to get enough sleep (the last one is so hard for me during pregnancy). A super important way to stay healthy during pregnancy is to make sure that you are up to date on vaccines- particularly the flu shot.
I told my OB/GYN that I was going to be writing about pregnancy and vaccines and he was super passionate about it. We spent awhile talking about the importance of vaccines during pregnancy and how the flu shot is such an easy way to prevent the flu which can be deadly to pregnant women and their unborn babies.
I got my flu shot either at the end of September or beginning of October. When I went to the doctor to confirm my pregnancy, they asked me right away if I got the flu shot and if I did not, they would have highly recommended it and can give it right there in office.
When talking to my OB, he was telling me about how a magazine for physicians that he receives specifically is recommending that OB/GYNs spend time to stress the importance of flu shots during pregnancy. That they need to explain some of the possible negative outcomes of not getting the flu shot when pregnant so that patients are aware of how important it truly is.
He explained that of the women who were dying of the flu that were child bearing age, half of them were pregnant. That statistic hit me hard! I would do anything to protect all of my babies and hearing something like that would definitely make me get the flu shot if I was someone who didn’t already get it. He also explained some of the potential risks related to getting the flu when pregnant and it was very scary.
The CDC has lot of information about pregnancy and vaccinations. To me, they are the best resource for truthful, science-based information and I trust what they say. I Vaccinate is another amazing resource for information about vaccines.
Information from the CDC on how to protect your unborn baby during pregnancy with vaccines:
- Vaccines help to protect mom and baby against serious disease. When mom gets a vaccine, you are protecting the baby as well. The CDC recommends getting the whooping cough (Tdap vaccine) and flu vaccine during each pregnancy to protect you and baby.
- Whooping cough can be life-threatening for a newborn. Getting the vaccine during pregnancy helps your body to create antibodies to pass to your baby before birth for protection against whooping cough.
- Changes in your immune, heart and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. It also increases your risks for serious problems for baby including premature labor and delivery. The best way to protect yourself and your baby is by getting the flu shot.
If you are pregnant especially, please, I urge you to talk to your doctor about getting the flu shot and highly recommend getting one!