Is the Flu Shot Safe During Pregnancy?
A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology followed approximately 2,000 women who had been vaccinated with the flu shot and found no adverse effects to the fetus associated with the vaccine. A study published in the April 2005 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, looked at 252 women who received the flu shot during their second or third trimester. Researchers found that there were no adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes associated with the flu shot. The CDC has approved use of the flu shot, which contains an inactivated flu virus, for pregnant women. However, the nasal-spray flu vaccine, which contains live, weakened flu viruses, is not approved for pregnant women. So if you are pregnant, make sure you get a flu shot, not the nasal spray vaccine.
