Flu and pregnancy
Changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy render pregnant women
particularly prone to severe flu-related illness, potentially leading to hospitalization. In addition, flu
may prove harmful for a pregnant women’s developing baby.
Getting vaccinated is the most crucial step in protecting against the condition. Pregnant women
should receive a flu shot, and not the live attenuated influenza vaccine. These flu vaccines
administered during pregnancy help protect both the mother and her baby from flu.
There is a lot of evidence to date that flu shots can be given safely during pregnancy, although most
data only concern the first trimester of pregnancy. In addition to getting a flu shot, pregnant women
should endorse the same everday preventive actions of everyone, such as covering coughs, washing
hans very often, and avoiding crowds.