Pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy should protect their own health and that of their baby by getting their annual flu shots right away, the March of Dimes says.
The March of Dimes notes that getting get sick with the flu early in pregnancy makes you twice as likely to have a baby with a serious birth defect of the brain, spine, or heart as women who don’t catch the virus.
It’s unclear whether it’s the high fever associated with influenza, or the disease itself that contributes to the increased risk of birth defects, experts say. But reducing the risk of birth defects is an important reason why all pregnant women and women thinking of having a baby should get an annual flu shot.
Only half of all pregnant women in the United States get a flu shot each season, leaving thousands of moms-to-be and their babies at increased risk of serious illness.
“The annual flu shot should be a top priority for women’s health this time of year,” says Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA. “Health care providers should offer all their female patients of childbearing age a flu shot. And if they don’t offer it, then women should seek it out.”
Pregnant women are in greater need of a flu shot because the normal changes to their immune system, heart and lungs put them at increased risk of the harmful effects of flu infection. Also, babies born to women who got their flu shots while pregnant are protected from serious illness from influenza during their first six months of life. Immunized women also have a lower risk of flu-related hospitalizations for chronic asthma, heart conditions, diabetes, a weakened immune system, and other health-related problems.
Studies involving thousands of pregnant women who received the seasonal flu vaccine have shown that immunized women do not have a higher risk of preterm babies or babies with birth defects than unimmunized women. Researchers also found that immunized women are less likely to experience a stillbirth.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends that everyone six months of age or older, including pregnant women, be vaccinated annually against the influenza virus.
In addition to getting their annual flu shots, pregnant women can lower their risks of catching the flu by limiting contact with others who are sick; not touching the eyes, nose and mouth; washing hands with soap and water before touching others; using hand sanitizers; using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher to wash the dishes and utensils; and not sharing dishes, glasses, utensils, or toothbrushes. Also, those who live with pregnant women, or who are in close contact with them, including children over six months old, should also get a flu shot each year.
Pregnant women who develop flu symptoms, such as sudden onset fever, muscle aches, and cough should contact their health care providers as soon as possible to discuss beginning an anti-viral treatment.