Pregnancy, Viral Illnesses, and You

Currently, the best available first line of defense for the flu – still by far the most prevalent potentially dangerous virus – is to get an influenza flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends pregnant women get the flu shot if they have not already as they are more likely to get sick. The CDC says that it is safe for pregnant women to receive the vaccine at any point during the pregnancy. Even though there are two types of flu vaccine, the flu shot, and nasal spray, the CDC only recommends the shot as effective for individuals who are pregnant. By receiving the vaccine, pregnant women reduce their chances of becoming severely ill as well as protecting the baby’s health in the first few months following birth before the young ones can get vaccinated themselves.

A common misconception about the flu vaccine is that the minor amount of mercury included in the vaccine can cause the baby to develop autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The vaccines have been thoroughly tested and examined for decades and, despite what you may have heard from some quarters, there is no scientifically viable link to these conditions. On the other hand, if the thought of mercury makes you nervous, that’s understandable. Fortunately, flu vaccines without mercury are available and considered to be equally effective by the CDC.