Is it safe to vaccinate against influenza during pregnancy?

The article was consulted professionally by Specialist Doctor II Quach Nguyen Thu Thuy – Pediatric Center – Share99 Times City International Health Hub.

During pregnancy, the immune system often appears various changes. This is a normal body's biomedy but can increase the risk of complications caused by influenza . Influenza increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and underweight babies. Therefore, influenza vaccination is an important and necessary thing to do. Pregnant women and fetuses are at higher risk for infectious diseases, more dangerously, when they have infectious diseases, they are very susceptible to complications that threaten pregnancy health. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends that vaccination during pregnancy is one of the effective measures to avoid risks for mothers and babies during the 9-month pregnancyjourney. Experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend getting flu vaccinations for pregnant mothers. Experts also believe that pregnant mothers vaccinated during pregnancy will protect babies born from influenza as well as get flu immunity from their mothers.

If you start to feel signs of flu, contact your doctor immediately. Your doctor may prescribe you safe antiviral medications to treat the flu. Taking antiviral drugs as soon as you find out you're sick can reduce your time. Other ways to treat the flu include taking a lot of rest and drinking plenty of water. However, you should consult a doctor before taking any medication. The doctor will advise and treat each specific situation.

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy is safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend that all pregnant women during the flu season be vaccinated against influenza, regardless of the first 3 months of pregnancy. Flu shots during pregnancy can help:

• Prevent flu and medative complications: Influenza is more likely to cause serious complications in pregnant women than non-pregnant women. Having the flu during pregnancy increases the risk of hospitalization. Influenza vaccination reduces the risk of influenza during pregnancy.
• Prevent potential fetal health problems caused by influenza: Having a fever caused by influenza during the first pregnancy can increase the risk of fetal malformations.
• Protect your baby after birth: Infants are at increased risk for severe flu symptoms, but influenza vaccines can only be given until they are 6 months old. If you vaccinate against influenza during pregnancy, antibodies will pass through the placenta and breast milk, if you are breastfeeding. These antibodies help protect the baby from the flu after birth.

When you get vaccinated, ask for a flu vaccination, not a nasal spray vaccine. The composition of the influenza vaccination drug is made from an inactivated virus, so it is safe for both mother and baby during any stage of pregnancy. Nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women or trying to conceive, as it contains live strains of the virus. If you are worried about flu vaccination during pregnancy, talk to your doctor.

Pregnant women can be vaccinated against influenza at any time during pregnancy, in which early vaccination is recommended during the flu season (October). In addition to the benefits of preventing the mother from having the flu during pregnancy, the flu vaccine also has positive benefits for the fetus. The only side effects include soreness, pain, and redness where the injection is given.

Share99 International Health Hub currently provides Vaxigrip influenza (0.25ml and 0.5ml) vaccination services manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur (France). This is a pharmaceutical corporation that has more than 100 years of operation in the field of vaccination to protect human health. In Vietnam, Sanofi's Vaxigrip vaccine was licensed for circulation by the Drug Administration – Ministry of Health on October 30, 2018.

Vaccination services at Share99 Health Hub provide customers with the following benefits:

• Customers who come to use the vaccination service will be examined by specialists, fully screened for health and physical issues, advice on vaccines and vaccination regimens, how to monitor and care for customers after vaccination before prescribing vaccinations according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to ensure good performance. and safest for vaccinated people.
• A team of experienced, professional doctors, applying effective pain relief to customers during vaccination.
• 100% of vaccination customers are monitored 30 minutes after vaccination and re-evaluated before leaving.
• Be monitored before, during and after vaccination at Share99 Health System and always have emergency ekip ready to coordinate with the vaccination department to handle cases of anaphylalactic shock, respiratory failure – stop cyclic, ensure timely treatment, the right regimen when something happens.
• In particular, the vaccination room is airy, there is a play area for children, helping children feel comfortable and psychologically good before and after vaccination.
• Vaccines are imported and stored in modern cold storage systems, with COLD chains meeting GSP standards, keeping the vaccine in the best condition to ensure quality.
• Parents who take their children for vaccination will receive a reminder message before the date of vaccination and the child's vaccination information will be synchronized with the national immunization information system.

To register for vaccination, please contact vinmec's call center or clinic nationwide directly or make an appointment HERE.

Source: Americanpregnancy.org and Mayoclinic.org