Flu Shots materials - B

FLU SHOTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnant women need a flu shot

Form Approved
OMB No: 0920-0956
Exp. Date: March 31, 2016

Getting the flu can cause serious
problems when you are pregnant. Read
on to learn about the dangers of the flu,
the safety of the flu shot for pregnant
women, and how the flu shot protects
you and your baby. You’ll also find
information about what to do if you get
the flu while pregnant.

You can protect yourself and your baby by getting a flu shot during your pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions about the flu shot
Getting sick with flu while
pregnant can cause:
Hospitalization or even
death from flu
If you get the flu, you could become
sick enough that you would need to be
hospitalized, or you could even die.

Premature labor and delivery
Premature labor and delivery can
be life-threatening to your baby.

Birth defects or other problems
for your baby
Having a fever from flu (or from any other
infection) in the early weeks of pregnancy
is dangerous for your unborn baby.

Will the flu shot hurt my unborn baby?
Millions of flu shots have been given to pregnant women over
many years. Flu shots have not been shown to cause harm to
pregnant women or their babies.
How does the flu shot protect me?
When you get your flu shot, your body starts to make antibodies
that help protect you against the flu.
Does the flu shot protect my baby?
Yes. Antibodies can be passed on to your unborn baby, and help
protect the baby for up to six months after birth.
Because an infant under six months of age is too young to
get a flu vaccine, it is very important that you get a flu shot
while pregnant.
How long does it take for the flu shot to begin protecting me
and my unborn baby?
It takes about 2 weeks for antibodies to be made after getting
the flu shot.
Will the flu shot give me the flu?
No, but sometimes the flu shot can give you side effects. The most
common ones are mild, such as soreness, tenderness, redness, or
swelling at the spot where you had the shot.
Sometimes people have headache, muscle ache at the spot where
the shot was given, fever, and nausea, or feel tired after getting the
flu shot.

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Health Communication Science Office

Form Approved
OMB No: 0920-0956
Exp. Date: March 31, 2016

FLU SHOTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN

PAGE 2

Can flu be so serious that I would need to call 911?
Yes! If you have any of the following signs, call 911:
❚❚ Problems breathing
❚❚ Shortness of breath
❚❚ Pain or pressure in your chest or abdomen
❚❚ Sudden dizziness or confusion
❚❚ Severe or constant vomiting
❚❚ High fever that is not responding to acetaminophen

such as TylenolTM.
And call 911 if you notice that your baby is not moving
as much or is no longer moving at all.
Talk to your doctor or nurse right away if you have flu symptoms.

Frequently asked questions about the flu
Do I need to worry about catching the flu if
I’m healthy and rarely get sick?
Just because you don’t seem to catch illnesses, that
doesn’t mean you won’t catch the flu.
And if you catch the flu when you are pregnant, you
are at risk of serious problems. Changes in the immune
system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make
pregnant women more likely to get severe illness
caused by the flu.
What symptoms should I watch for?
❚❚ Fever
❚ Sore throat
❚❚ Cough

❚ Runny or stuffy nose

❚❚ Headache

❚ Vomiting and/or diarrhea

❚❚ Body aches

What should I do if I’m having any of these symptoms?
❚❚ Call your doctor, nurse, or clinic right away.
»» A doctor can prescribe medicine to treat the flu.

The medicine can protect you from the risk of
getting seriously ill. These medicines must be
started as soon as possible.
You can bring down your fever with acetaminophen
such as TylenolTM. But you should still call your doctor
or nurse right away, even if you bring your fever down.

This fact sheet was created in 2014.

Flu can be serious. If you experience severe symptoms, don’t wait to see
if problems go away on their own. Call your healthcare professional, or
call 911 if you think it’s an emergency.

Early treatment is important for pregnant women
If you get sick with flu-like symptoms call your doctor
right away. If needed, the doctor will prescribe an antiviral
medicine that treats the flu. Antiviral drugs can reduce the
time you are sick with flu, help make flu illness milder,
and can reduce flu-related complications.
For more information, visit: http://www.address
or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).