Obstetricians urge pregnant women to get flu shots

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - With flu season fast approaching, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a statement today reminding women -- including those who are pregnant -- to get vaccinated against influenza now.

Flu season runs from October through mid-May in the U.S., and, according to ACOG, flu vaccination should be a routine part of prenatal care and the best time for pregnant women to get a flu shot is October and November.

Yet findings from a recent survey conducted by the National Women's Health Resource Center found that flu vaccine is "bottom-of-mind" for most women when they consider their own prenatal health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly one-fifth of Americans come down with the flu each year. Pregnant women have higher rates of illness and death from the flu than other groups.

In its statement, ACOG emphasizes that flu vaccination is both safe and effective for pregnant women and offers some protection to baby as well.

Some pregnant women may be concerned about the safety of the flu vaccine because some contain thimerosal -- a mercury-based vaccine preservative. But according to ACOG, there is no evidence that thimerosal is a danger to the health of the pregnant woman or her fetus. Thimerosal-free flu vaccines are available, but they tend to be more expensive.

There are two types of flu vaccine: the injection and a nasal-spray vaccine. The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine that contains killed virus and is administered usually in the arm. It is approved for use in people older than six months, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions.

The nasal-spray vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses and is approved for use in people ages 2 to 49. It is not approved for pregnant women, however. Women who are breastfeeding can choose either vaccine type.

In addition to pregnant women, other special "high-risk" groups that should be vaccinated annually include people older than 50; people of any age who have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, a weakened immune system, or other chronic illnesses, and their caregivers; nursing home residents; health care workers; and household contacts and caregivers of children younger than five and of adults age 50 and older.

Some people should not get the flu vaccine without first talking with their doctor including those with a severe allergy to chicken eggs; those who had a prior severe reaction to the flu vaccine; those who previously developed Guillain-Barré syndrome within six weeks of receiving the flu vaccine; children less than six months old; and people who currently have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever.