The Flu Shot

This week is National Influenza Immunization week.  If you're pregnant, and have not already received your flu shot...now would be a good time to get it done.

Why?  The flu shot is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age, but especially for those in high-risk groups.  Pregnant women and caretakers of infants are among those at high risk. 

When you're pregnant, your immune system is compromised.  The body's ability to fight off infections is weaker.  This was especially evident during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, when pregnant women DIED and were commonly on the ventilator in the intensive care units with influenza.  We should do all we can to prevent influenza infection during pregnancy.

Another big reason to get vaccinated is to protect your baby.  Antibodies that your body makes in response to the influenza vaccine can cross the placenta and are present in breast milk.  Since infants can't receive the vaccine until 6 months of age, these antibodies can help your baby fight off the influenza virus, and avoid illness.

I get a lot of questions in my office about the safety of the flu vaccine.  Studies have never shown that the flu vaccine causes the flu.  Some people do complain of flu-like symptoms after they receive the vaccine, but they are never the same as actual influenza.   This may even be another virus that the person just happened to get after the flu shot, a coincidental event. 

There has also been a lot of discussion about thimerosal, a preservative used in multi-dose influenza vaccine vials.  Thimerosal is an organic mercury-containing compound, and is a derivative of ethyl mercury.  Much controversy has been stirred up over whether ethyl mercury (thimerosal) is neurotoxic (i.e. causes damage to the nervous system).  Another mercury compound, methyl mercury, is a known neurotoxin...that is another blog topic altogether.  Some groups have expressed concern that mercury exposure is associated with the development of autism, but no studies have consistently found an association.  There has, though, been a push to eliminate thimerosal from vaccines.  A thimerosal-free influenza vaccination is available, although I do not think the evidence exists to recommend only thimerosal-free vaccines.

Pregnant women should not get the intranasal inhaled vaccine (FluMist).  This vaccine contains a live attenuated virus and could cause the flu.

In the end, I do feel strongly that all women who are pregnant during flu season (October-May) should receive the vaccine.  All caregivers of pregnant women and their infants should also receive the flu vaccine.  I do every year, and most hospitals now require their employees to receive the flu vaccine.

See the attached link for more information:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PregnancyAndFlu/