Getting a flu shot, is a no brainier for me. I have done extensive research from many studies and found that the best thing for my child is to get a flu shot during my pregnancy to give her the best protection during this winter season. Additionally, I am aiming to get everyone in my home vaccinated as well, which includes my parents, husband, sisters, and daughter who just started preschool.
5 Reasons Why I Will get Flu Shot during pregnancy
Being Vaccinated from the Flu helps protect your baby.
Many children who were not vaccinated, have died from Flu Virus. In the 2012-2013, CDC reported about 90 percent of children who died from the flu that season, were not vaccinated. Just knowing this risk is enough to let me be aware that being vaccinated is important to help pass on the antibodies and immunities of the flu vaccine to my unborn baby. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/children-flu-deaths.htm
Your newborn cannot get a flu shot for 6 Months
I am going to have a baby in the Fall, right at the start of the flu Season in the United States. My newborn will not have a way to be protected from contracting the virus without getting the flu shot myself. Unless… my husband decides not to go to work, I refuse to meet anyone, I home school my daughter, and we order groceries and avoid going to the doctors and dentists for 6 months of the newborn’s life. This scenario is not realistic. We have to go out run errands, deposit checks, grocery shopping, drop the kids to school, go to college, go to work and more. The risk of exposure to flu viruses is high when you are out and about. Indeed, washing your hands as soon as you arrive at home helps prevents serious illnesses, but also getting vaccinated also helps reduces your newborn’s risk of contracting the flu.
I have gotten the flu vaccination during my 7th month of pregnancy with my first child
Getting the flu vaccination while being pregnant in 2014 with my first child, did not affect me negatively, nor my daughter. She was was very healthy and was exposed to many hands as a newborn and infant and thankfully did not get very sick except for a minor cold. She was also born in the Spring, and was able to get another flu vaccination at age 6 months in October, just at the start of the flu season. There was no risk of autism or any order harmful risk to the development mind. My daughter is 3 years old today, in preschool and thriving.
Catching the Flu during pregnancy can lead to complications
According to the Immunisation Advisory Center in New Zealand, an influenza infection during pregnancy leads to consequences for both mother and baby including premature birth, stillbirth, small for gestational age, and perinatal death. According to March of Dimes, women who become sick with the flu early in pregnancy are 2 times more likely to have a baby with a serous birth defect of the brain, spine, or heart than women who do not catch the virus.
There is more benefits to getting the Flu Vaccination than not
When I do research, I try to find studies or articles that quotes studies. After reading a countless number of articles, I feel there is more benefits to getting the flu vaccination while I am pregnant than not.
Here are some articles that I’ve found that may also be useful for you.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/pregnant.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/children-flu-deaths.htm
https://immunizationforwomen.org/uploads/Tear%20pad%20FAQ%20Preg%20Flu%20shot%202015%20AA572AFinal.pdf
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/11/28/503592933/flu-vaccine-during-pregnancy-not-linked-to-autism
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/05/07/477042926/when-pregnant-women-get-flu-shots-babies-are-healthier
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/04/30/peds.2015-2360
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2587559
https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/h1n1-swine-flu-news-754/h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine-unlikely-to-raise-birth-defect-risk-714962.html
http://www.influenza.org.nz/impact-influenza-infection-during-pregnancy
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/pregnant/flushot_pregnant_factsheet.pdf
Some common questions about the flu shots during pregnancy.
Is flu shot safe during pregnancy?
Yes, flu shots have been given to millions of pregnant women over the years and significant amount of studies have been done on flu vaccine safety during pregnancy.
What are the side affects from flu shots?
Some side affects includes,
What about the Thimerosal in Flu Vaccine? Isn’t that harmful?
First, Thimerosal is an ethyl mercury-based preservative used in vials that contains more than one does of a vaccine to help prevent germs, bacteria, or fungi from contaminating the vaccine.
Preservatives are used to protect vaccines.
