Flu vaccination rates low among pregnant women
[anvplayer video=”5151480″ station=”998128″]
(ABC 6 News) – According to Mayo Clinic, flu vaccination rates among pregnant women are low while flu levels are high.
The CDC says that the flu vaccination can help prevent serious illness in higher-risk groups, including pregnant women.
One doctor at mayo clinic says that the vaccine is safe for both the developing baby and mother.
“It’s not a virus that the baby can get infected by. The point of those immunizations is to keep you from getting sicker, especially gravely ill, and we know that if you’re pregnant your risk of that is much higher,” Mayo Clinic, Obstetrics & Gynecology specialist Dr. Thomas Howell Jr.
Dr. Howell says flu vaccines are safe for the developing baby and mother.
According to Mayo Clinic, flu vaccination rates among pregnant women are low while flu levels are high.
“It’s not a virus that the baby can get infected by. It doesn’t give you the flu, and it doesn’t make you sick (even though) everybody says, ‘Well, I still got the shot, and I still got the flu.’ The point of those immunizations is to keep you from getting sicker, especially very gravely ill. And we know that if you’re pregnant, your risk is much higher.”
The CDC also recommends everyone 6 months or older gets a flu shot every year to help protect themselves and others against the spread of the flu.
It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective.
For more information, click here.