Fears and misconceptions often surround the flu vaccine: Does it
really work? Will it make me sick? Could it hurt my baby?
Researchers from Norway say the last question was a big concern
during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic; anecdotal reports of fetal deaths
caused many pregnant women to avoid getting vaccinated despite
health officials' pleas. To determine the accuracy of these
reports, the Norwegian researchers analyzed data from more than
100,000 pregnancies during the 2009-2010 flu season. Their
results were published this week in the New England Journal of
Medicine. The study found no evidence that the influenza vaccine
increased the risk of fetal death in pregnant women. But
pregnant women who were diagnosed with the flu - whether they
had the vaccine or not - had nearly double the risk of fetal
death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends
all pregnant women get the flu shot (the nasal spray vaccine is
not recommended for pregnant women) to protect them from the
virus. But during the 2011-2