Important news for pregnant women arrives just in time. A new
study provides evidence that pregnant women who get the flu shot
do not increase the risk of fetal death. Fifty years ago U.S.
heath officials began recommending that pregnant women get the
flu shot after the flu pandemic took the lives of so many
mothers-to-be. For many years there was concern that the flu
shot could cause harm or even death to the developing fetus.
This study adds another layer to the many studies done
researching whether the flu vaccine and fetal harm exists. This
is the largest study dedicated to looking at the safety and
benefits of flu vaccination during pregnancy. "This is the kind
of information we need to provide our patients when discussing
that flu vaccine is important for everyone, particularly for
pregnant women," said Dr. Geeta Swamy, a researcher who studies
vaccines and pregnant women at Duke University Medical Center.
Fetal deaths were rare during the study with most occurring in
pregnant women who already had the