Flu shot during pregnancy can help:
- Prevent the flu and maternal complications. The flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women who are not pregnant. Research has shown that getting a flu shot decreases a pregnant woman’s risk of being hospitalized by an average of 40%.
- Prevent potential fetal health problems due to the flu. Having a fever caused by the flu early in pregnancy might increase the risk of fetal birth defects.
- Protect your baby after birth. Infants are at increased risk of severe flu symptoms, but the flu vaccine can’t be given until a baby is 6 months old. If you have a flu shot during pregnancy, the antibodies you develop will pass through the placenta and, if you’re breast-feeding, breast milk.
These antibodies help protect your baby from the flu after birth.