If you are pregnant for sure you are asking should pregnant women get the flu shot. The answer is yes; it is safe for pregnant women to be vaccinated. Even more, by doing so you could save the life of the little one. There are a lot of organizations that strongly recommend women to get the shot.
Why should pregnant women get the flu vaccine?
The vaccine is important because if you are affected by the flu during your pregnancy, you have higher chances of having complications like preterm labor or pneumonia. These represent a threat for you and the baby. Another thing that you should know is that if you get the flu shot, it will also offer some protection to your baby too.
Think about the baby
When thinking about pregnant women getting the flu shot you should know that the baby might receive the antibodies from you. In the same time, if you are immune, the baby has lower chances of being affected. Offering protection to the baby is very important because the sick babies could have complications.
Have another shot
In case you are asking should pregnant women get the flu shot it is good to know that you are supposed to get vaccinated even if you got the shot in the previous years. This is because the shots protect against different kinds of flu. The shot is made of inactivated virus.
It is a must to remember that women must avoid getting the nasal spray vaccine because this is made of weakened viruses. Get your shot in the moment when it becomes available, regardless of your gestational age. If your doctor doesn’t have it, call the local health department to find out where you can get it.
Good news
The answer to the question should pregnant women get the flu shot is a really important one and since pregnant women have high chances of complications they have priority to get the shot. It is best to receive the shot in October or September so that you will have protection prior to the flu season.
Precautions
The women interested in the pregnant women’s flu shot should also know that they should take some precautions. If you happen to be sick and have a fever you should wait for all the symptoms to disappear before you get the shot. There are some cases when you shouldn’t get the shot.
It is important to know that you shouldn’t get the shot if you have allergy to eggs or if you had an allergic reaction to the shot in the past. It is also possible that you have the condition called Guillain-Barre.
If you get the flu shot for pregnant women and the condition appears your doctor must find out whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
Now you know the answer to the question should pregnant women get the flu shot.
