Another Reason to Get Your Flu Shot: Healthy Birth Weight

Photo: Veer

Getting a flu shot during pregnancy prevents you and baby from getting sick, but it also prevents baby from being too small for his gestational age, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. For the study, researchers surveyed 340 women who were in their third trimester in Bangladesh. Half of them received the flu vaccine during pregnancy and the other half got a vaccine that doesn’t prevent the flu. Of the women who received the flu vaccine, 26 percent had babies that were small for their gestational age. Of the women who did not receive the flu vaccine, 45 percent had small babies.

Researchers also took note of when the influenza virus was going around the area. When it wasn’t, the proportion of infants small for gestational age were similar between the two groups. But when the virus was circulating, the mean birth weight was higher among infants who received the influenza vaccine than those who didn’t. Experts believe the findings are proof that preventing the flu during pregnancy can help baby growth healthily in utero.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Are Vaccines Safe to Get During Pregnancy?

How to Deal With the Cold or Flu While Pregnant

Natural Remedies for the Cold and Flu

-- Sarah Yang

See More: Pregnancy Health , Prenatal Checkups