Request Appointment
Select a preferred date and time
Use < > to choose a date, then scroll down and select appointment timeInstant Message
Office Information
-
Mon: 8:30am - 1pm Tues: Closed Wed: 8:30am - 4:30pm Thurs: Closed Fri: Closed Sat: Closed Sun: Closed
Is it safe for me to get a flu shot for this winter season?
I'm 4 months pregnant. Thanks in advance for your answer.
Anonymous Patient
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends flu vaccination for all pregnant women, regardless of trimester. Preventing flu during pregnancy is an essential element of prenatal care, and it is imperative that physicians, health care organizations, and public health officials improve their efforts to increase immunization rates among pregnant women.
The CDC recommends that all people aged six months and older be vaccinated against the flu. Annual flu vaccination is especially critical for pregnant women because it performs double duty by protecting both pregnant women and their fetuses. Babies cannot be vaccinated against the flu until they are six months old, but they receive antibodies from their mother that help protect them until they can be vaccinated.
Vaccination early in the flu season is optimal, but it can be given at any time during the flu season and at any stage of pregnancy. The College advises that all women who are or become pregnant during the annual flu season (October through May) get the inactivated flu vaccine. The live attenuated version of the flu vaccine (the nasal mist) should not be given to pregnant women. Women can also receive the flu vaccine postpartum and while they are breastfeeding if they missed it during pregnancy.