Each season, I’m always asked if the flu shot is safe for pregnant woman. My typical response is, “not only is it safe, it’s actually highly recommended.” In fact, we should actively be encouraging pregnant women to get their flu vaccine.
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To further support our recommendations, a recent study has shown that influenza vaccines can be effective in preventing influenza hospitalizations among pregnant women.
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Researchers studied 1030 hospitalizations among pregnant women who presented with flu like illnesses in four countries over six flu seasons from 2010 through 2016. All were tested for influenza. Just 13% who tested positive for flu had been vaccinated, versus 22% of those who tested negative.
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It doesn’t sound like a big difference, but it points to about a 40% efficacy of the flu shot in preventing hospitalization and yet another reason to vaccinate.
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