Protecting you and your baby from flu

With so many things to worry about when you're pregnant, the last thing you need is to fall ill at the hands of the dreaded flu virus. A visit from the flu if you're expecting isn't just about getting the chills, fever, a chesty cough or sinus congestion, as it hits you quicker and with more force.  

That’s why women in Scotland who are pregnant are being urged to protect themselves from any potential complications caused by the flu by getting the seasonal flu jab early.

Being pregnant, means that you’re at greater risk to experience complications from the flu because a woman’s immune system is slightly suppressed to help them cope with carrying a baby.  

In later pregnancy, as the baby takes up more space, a woman’s lungs can’t expand as well as normal which can make respiratory complications more likely if you have the flu. The risks such as miscarriage and premature labour, are highest during this later stage in pregnancy and it’s possible that you could be hospitalised.

The flu jab will help pregnant women avoid catching the flu and protect their baby.

It’s completely safeand beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn child and some women have already had similar vaccinations such as for the swine flu last year. Studies* have shown that there’s no evidence of risk from vaccinating pregnant women, or those who are breast-feeding, with inactivated viral or bacterial vaccines.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Harry Burns, said, 'Flu strikes suddenly and it's important to be prepared. If you are pregnant, you’re already at risk of developing complications if you catch the flu, so the best way to protect yourself and your baby, is to get the jab.

'It only takes a minute to get the flu jab, but this will protect you and your baby for 12 months. It is absolutely safe for both mother and baby and a necessity if you also have an underlying health condition such as asthma or diabetes. Some women experience difficult pregnancies and others have a great pregnancy but the last thing you want is to risk your health and your pregnancy by catching the flu virus. Get the jab – it’s the best way to protect you and your baby.'

The vaccine takes around ten days to work and will protect women from flu for around a year. It’s important that you get vaccinated annually as the seasonal flu virus changes regularly, so last year’s vaccine won’t protect you from this year’s flu virus. And remember the flu vaccine doesn’t contain live viruses, so contrary to popular belief – the flu jab doesn’t give you the flu! If you experience symptoms such as a runny nose or achiness a few days after getting the jab, that means your immune system is responding and the jab is working.

So make an appointment with your GP to get the flu jab or have a chat with your midwife to allay any fears.

For further information on the seasonal flu campaign, log on to www. Immunistionscotland.org.uk.

*(Plotkin and Orenstein, 2004; Tamma et al, 2009).