hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Health officials say the flu vaccine is safe during pregnancy
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Health officials say the flu vaccine is safe during pregnancy
The flu season is here, and most people have already received their flu shot. Many pregnant women are unsure of taking the flu vaccine, but the CDC is saying the flu shot will protect the mother and the baby, up to 6 months of age, and is perfectly safe.
A pregnant Lancaster, Pennsylvania nurse told CNN News on Sunday that she was fired from her job at Horizons Healthcare Services for refusing to take a flu shot as required by her employers. Dreonna Breton, in talking to CNN, said she told her employer that there was not enough information on the affects of the flu vaccine on pregnant women, and she and her husband were concerned because she had already gone through three miscarriages. With the flu season on us, there is concern by health officials in seeing that everyone is vaccinated for the flu, particularly pregnant women. But surprisingly, a large number of people still have misconceptions about flu shots and influenza. A study done in August of this year by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that fully 35 percent of over 1,000 respondents surveyed believed the flu vaccine was given if someone came down with the illness. The survey found that 33 percent of those surveyed believed antibiotics will cure the flu. What goes on in a pregnant woman's body? But let's get serious now. Pregnant women are particularly at risk for getting the flu, as well as severe secondary infections because of having the flu. Pregnancy takes a lot out of a woman's immune system, leaving her more susceptible to getting sick. Not only is the mother at risk, but the baby is at risk. Complications from the flu can cause premature labor, premature delivery and even death. Another reason for getting the flu vaccine when a woman is pregnant is hormones, in particular progesterone. One of the effects of progesterone is that it causes swelling and engorgement of the capillaries in the nose and oral pharynx. Pregnant women are more inclined to contract illnesses and especially viruses. The swollen capillaries move these bugs into the system very quickly. Not only does a woman's belly swell during pregnancy, but the fetus pushing upward on the diaphragm causes increased difficulty getting full lung capacity. There is a risk of respiratory illness being more difficult to manage. Keep in mind, too, that a pregnant woman is breathing for two, herself and the baby. With a severe respiratory illness like the flu, it can easily become a bacterial infection, and that is a serious medical emergency. CDC studies and recommendations for the flu vaccine According to the CDC, studies have been done on thousands of pregnant women who have received the flu vaccine, including women who have already given birth and are breast-feeding. There has been no evidence of adverse affects in pregnant women, the fetuses, or unborn children, or newborns. It should also be noted that continuing studies by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration in pregnant women and newborns have not raised any concerns over adverse affects to the flu vaccine. A recent study by the two government agencies was done on adverse affects as reported in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This covered the years 1990-2009. The conclusion of the study showed:
"No unusual patterns of pregnancy complications or fetal outcomes were observed in the VAERS reports of pregnant women after the administration of TIV or LAIV."The only thing the CDC recommends is that pregnant women do not get the nasal spray type flu vaccine. As always, talk to your obstetrician or primary care doctor. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to eggs or egg products.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Health officials say the flu vaccine is safe during pregnancy