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Pregnant? This is why you need a flu vaccination

Rebel Wylie |

Catching the flu in pregnancy can cause some serious complications for you and your baby. But there is a way to protect you both - vaccination.

Should you get the flu shot?00:13:10

The Flu is a virus that kills up to 500,000 people around the world each year.


I have a great GP. It’s a good feeling to have so much faith in your medical practitioner. She’s young, she’s thorough, she’s fantastic with the kids and she really knows her stuff. Some of that ‘stuff’ was making sure that I had my flu shots in pregnancy. And she was right.

Catching the flu is more than an inconvenience – for pregnant women, falling ill with influenza can lead to serious complications. Complications that may put both mum and bub at risk, meaning getting vaccinated in all four of my pregnancies was a no-brainer for me.

What exactly is ‘the flu’?

Influenza, or flu, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. There are three main types of influenza virus that cause infection in humans – types A, B and C. Both a cold and flu share very common symptoms which may include a runny and/or blocked nose, sore throat and cough.

However, there are a few extra symptoms which a person with flu will have in addition to those they might get with a heavy cold.

People with influenza typically experience some or all of the following symptoms for at least a week:

  • fever and chills
  • cough, sore throat and runny or stuffy nose
  • muscle aches, joint pains, headaches and fatigue (feeling very tired)
  • nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children than adults)


The doctor gave vaccination needle .

Catching the flu is more than an inconvenience – for pregnant women, falling ill with influenza can lead to serious complications. Image: iStock 


Then there are some symptoms which mean that you might be dealing with a little more than a mild case of influenza, the following symptoms will require you to seek urgent medical attention:

  • shortness of breath or rapid breathing
  • chest pain
  • confusion or sudden dizziness
  • persistent vomiting

What are the risks for pregnant women?

Catching flu in pregnancy can pose a real danger to both you and your baby. Changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women (and women up to two weeks post-partum) more prone to severe illness and complications from the flu.

Complications, such as pneumonia, may result in you being hospitalised, something you’d like to avoid at all costs as that may put both mother and baby at risk. Some pregnant women who catch the disease miscarry or go into premature labour which, in turn, can sometimes mean a delivery by early emergency caesarean section, and tragically some mothers die.




The best protection for you and your baby is immunization

Flu shots will protect pregnant women, their unborn babies and even protect the baby after birth. The flu shot is safe and FREE for pregnant women, so speak to your GP or maternal nurse today – the sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you and your baby are protected.

The vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy, but it is recommended that you get it in the first trimester, for your own protection, if possible. Keep in mind that while influenza is a vaccine-preventable illness, a new vaccine needs to be given each year because influenza viruses change (mutate) constantly.

A new influenza vaccine is prepared each year to best match the strains predicted for the coming influenza season, so even if you have had a flu shot recently, it is worth checking with your GP or maternal nurse to see if a more current vaccine is available. US research found that women who have the influenza vaccination during pregnancy are less likely than unvaccinated mums to have a baby born prematurely during the flu season.




Other things you should do to avoid flu while pregnant:

  • Always cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Encourage others to do so as well.
  • Throw used tissues away immediately.
  • Ask sick people to keep away until they are well.
  • Make sure someone is disinfecting household surfaces and items frequently, including children’s toys.
  • If you start to feel sick, call your doctor straight away. Early treatment of flu can help prevent complications.
  • Treat fever straight away. Fever can harm your unborn baby.

Is it safe?

Put simply, being vaccinated is the best way to protect you from flu and the protection is passed on from you to your baby.

The flu vaccination is completely safe for pregnant women. The flu shot has been given to millions of pregnant women over many years.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says: “The influenza vaccine is safe for pregnant women in all trimesters, with no unusual patterns in pregnancy or foetal outcomes being observed in vaccine adverse events reports.”

Not only is it safe, it’s super important, so please chat to your GP as soon as you can.

For more information or if you have any concerns, speak to your GP.


Should you get the flu shot?47423


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