Benefits Of Flu Vaccination During Pregnancy: Vaccine Protects Both Mom & Infant From Virus, Study Finds

Many pregnant women wonder if there are benefits to getting a flu vaccination during pregnancy. According to a new study, getting a flu vaccine during pregnancy can give protection for both the mother and the infant.

The research findings show that a woman who gets a flu vaccination during pregnancy can reduce the risk of her baby acquiring flu virus in the first 6 months of life, Medical News Today reports. The researchers also noted that getting a flu vaccination during pregnancy should be a public health priority.

"Babies cannot be immunized during their first 6 months, so they must rely on others for protection from the flu during that time," study author Julie H. Shakib from the University of Utah School of Medicine told Medical News Today. Children under the age of 5, people over the age of 65 and pregnant women are the ones who are most at risk of getting infected with the flu virus.

Getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy protects the pregnant woman, the fetus and the newborn baby #GetVax pic.twitter.com/tioFq9h4Ix

— PAHO/WHO (@pahowho) April 30, 2016

The research team looked into the health records of over 245,000 pregnant women and their babies. The researchers found out that 97 percent of infants who acquired flu virus were born from mothers who did not get a flu vaccination during pregnancy.

Based on the researchers' calculations, flu vaccination during pregnancy reduces the risk of lab-confirmed flu for infants aged 6 months and below by 70 percent. On the other hand, the risk of infants aged 6 months and below getting hospitalized due to flu complications is reduced by 80 percent.

Aside from giving protection to babies in the first 6 months of their life, flu vaccination during pregnancy can also prevent flu-related pregnancy complications. "Of greatest concern is pneumonia, which is potentially life-threatening and may also increase your risk for preterm labor," Baby Center explains.