This information has been archived and is no longer updated. For information on the current flu season, and pregnancy vaccine safety please see Pregnancy Flu Shot Side Effects and Safety
Pregnancy: H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) and the H1N1 Vaccine
- Pregnancy and H1N1 influenza (swine flu) introduction
- What if I am pregnant and I get 2009 H1N1?
- What can I do to protect myself, my baby and my family?
- Is it safe for pregnant women to get a flu shot?
- What are the symptoms of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu?
- What should I do if I get sick?
- How is 2009 H1N1 flu treated?
- When should I get emergency medical care?
- Why does CDC advise pregnant women to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza (flu) vaccine (shot)?
- Will the seasonal flu shot also protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu?
- Are there flu vaccines that pregnant women should not get?
- Can the seasonal flu shot and the 2009 H1N1 flu shot be given at the same time?
- Is the 2009 H1N1 flu shot safe for pregnant women?
- What are the possible side effects of the 2009 H1N1 flu shots?
- What about the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine?
- What about breastfeeding and the H1N1 influenza and vaccinations?
- Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
- Pregnancy and H1N1 influenza (swine flu) introduction
- What if I am pregnant and I get 2009 H1N1?
- What can I do to protect myself, my baby and my family?
- Is it safe for pregnant women to get a flu shot?
- What are the symptoms of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu?
- What should I do if I get sick?
- How is 2009 H1N1 flu treated?
- When should I get emergency medical care?
- Why does CDC advise pregnant women to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza (flu) vaccine (shot)?
- Will the seasonal flu shot also protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu?
- Are there flu vaccines that pregnant women should not get?
- Can the seasonal flu shot and the 2009 H1N1 flu shot be given at the same time?
- Is the 2009 H1N1 flu shot safe for pregnant women?
- What are the possible side effects of the 2009 H1N1 flu shots?
- What about the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine?
- What about breastfeeding and the H1N1 influenza and vaccinations?
- Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
Pregnancy and H1N1 influenza (swine flu) introduction
These questions and answers have been updated to include new information on 2009 H1N1 flu in pregnant women. Both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu viruses will circulate during the 2009-2010 flu season. A pregnant woman who thinks she has the flu should call her doctor right away to see if treatment with an antiviral medicine is needed. The medicine is most helpful if it is started soon after the pregnant woman becomes sick. The latest advice for getting seasonal and 2009 H1N1 vaccines during pregnancy is also included.
What if I am pregnant and I get 2009 H1N1?
Call your doctor right away if you have flu symptoms or if you have close contact with someone who has the flu. Pregnant women who get sick with 2009 H1N1 can have serious health problems. They can get sicker than other people who get 2009 H1N1 flu. Some pregnant women sick with 2009 H1N1 have had early labor and severe pneumonia. Some have died. If you are pregnant and have symptoms of the flu, take it very seriously. Call your doctor right away for advice.
What can I do to protect myself, my baby and my family?
Getting a flu shot is the single best way to protect against the flu. Talk with your doctor about getting a seasonal flu shot and the 2009 H1N1 flu shot. You will need both flu shots this year to be fully protected against flu. You should get both shots as soon as they are available to protect you and your baby. The seasonal flu shot has been shown to protect both the mother and her baby (up to 6 months old) from flu-like illness.
Talk with your doctor right away if you have close contact with someone who has 2009 H1N1 flu. You might need to take medicine to reduce your chances of getting the flu. Your doctor may prescribe Tamiflu® or Relenza® to help prevent 2009 H1N1 flu. To prevent flu, you would take a lower dose of the antiviral medicine for 10 days.
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