Flu vaccine for the upcoming flu season is available now.
If you are pregnant , flu vaccine is important both for you and your unborn child. Why?
- Pregnant women naturally have weakened immune systems (seemingly to tolerate the presence of their unborn child). National statistics confirm pregnant women have more risk of severe infection and even death from flu. Plus, severe flu infection can trigger preterm labor. At Roswell ObGyn almost every year a pregnant patient with flu ends up in the ICU, so we don’t think national experts are lying.
- Newborns who get flu can also get very ill. And children under 6 months of age do not get flu vaccine. But if you get a flu shot, the antibodies will naturally cross the placenta and help protect your baby from birth through their first 6 months of life. Think of it – 2 people who get benefit from 1 shot!
Once you get your flu shot, don’t forget to recommend that your other family members get their shots too!
For more information on flu and pregnancy, go to http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/pregnant.htm
If you are not pregnant , you should consider getting your flu shot at our office on the day of your appointment. But we’d also like to point out that if you are not due in to see us for awhile, you can also make an appointment specifically for a flu shot (if you do not want to get one at your local pharmacy or your PCP’s office).
ObGyn issues aside, one last comment about flu vaccine. Yes, flu vaccine does not always cover the strains perfectly. And yes, some of you will get mild flu-like symptoms after a flu shot. But flu with it’s 103-104 degree fever, is much worse than flu shot side effects for most everyone. And most importantly, if YOU don’t get the flu, you won’t spread it to those folks in our country who are the most susceptible to severe flu infections (the elderly, cancer patients, immunosuppressed folks, those with multiple serious medical problems, pregnant patients, and of course the newborns.)
Who among us wants to expose someone else to flu?
If you have any questions, please contact your healthcare provider and schedule an appointment at 770 751 3600.
