Pregnancy and Influenza Vaccine Safety

Influenza (flu) vaccine safety studies are reporting good news for pregnant women. This research was presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in October 2011.

Research shows:

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy protects newborns from getting influenza.

Pregnant women who get influenza vaccine pass their immunity to their babies in the form of flu antibodies. This protection lasts for several months after birth. Influenza protection was seen in newborns up to four months old. Babies born to women who were not vaccinated during pregnancy showed no antibody protection.

Influenza vaccination does not cause miscarriage.

Research shows no association between flu vaccination during pregnancy and miscarriage. This largest study conducted during the first trimester showed pregnant women who got the flu vaccine were no more likely to miscarry than those who did not get the flu vaccine.

More pregnant women are getting vaccinated against influenza.

The number of pregnant women receiving influenza vaccine has increased dramatically in the last couple of years in large part due to a national effort to vaccinate against the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza during the 2009-10 influenza season. Prior to 2009, less than 15 percent of pregnant women got vaccinated. In the past two influenza seasons, over half of pregnant women were vaccinated.

For more information on these studies, read the IDSA press release.