Promote Influenza Prevention: Pregnant Women Should Get Flu Shots

Pregnant women who contract influenza are at excess risk for serious illness and death; nonetheless, influenza vaccination rates in pregnant women are low. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) supports the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation that all women who are pregnant during influenza season (October through May in the U.S.) should receive inactivated influenza vaccinations. No study has shown adverse consequences of inactivated influenza vaccine in pregnant women or their offspring; however, live attenuated influenza vaccination should not be given to pregnant women.

Using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System, researchers assessed prevalence of infl…