Study deems flu shot safe for pregnant women

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
1/17/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Norwegian study the largest undertaken on vaccine safety

It had always been a given, but now its official. An extensive medical study has proved that flu vaccine is safe for pregnant women. The research, undertaken by Norwegian researchers, has found no associated risk with miscarriage and the vaccine. In fact, the vaccine has proven to have prevented deaths on test subjects.

Obstetricians urge expectant mothers that it's not too late for their pregnant patients to get vaccinated fro the flu.

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The vaccine has long been considered safe for pregnant women and their unborn babies. U.S. health officials began recommending flu shots for them more than 50 years ago, following a higher death rate in pregnant women during the flu pandemic in the late Fifties.

"This is the kind of information we need to provide our patients when discussing that flu vaccine is important for everyone, particularly for pregnant women," Dr. Geeta Swamy, a researcher who studies vaccines and pregnant women at Duke University Medical Center says.

The study is perhaps the most comprehensive look at the safety and value of flu vaccination during pregnancy, experts say.

Released by the New England Journal of Medicine this week, the report arrived as the U.S. and Europe suffer through an early, intense flu season. Obstetricians urge expectant mothers that it's not too late for their pregnant patients to get vaccinated.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health tracked pregnancies in Norway in 2009 and 2010 during an international epidemic of a new swine flu strain.

Pregnant women in Norway before 2009 were not routinely advised to get flu shots. During the pandemic, however, vaccinations against the new strain were recommended for those in their second or third trimester.

The study focused on more than 113,000 pregnancies. Of those, 492 ended in the death of the fetus. The researchers calculated that the risk of fetal death was nearly twice as high for women who weren't vaccinated as it was in vaccinated mothers.

IN contrast, U.S. flu vaccination rates for pregnant women grew in the wake of the 2009 swine flu pandemic, from less than 15 percent to about 50 percent. Health officials these statistics need to climb to protect newborns as well. Infants can't be vaccinated until six months, but studies have shown they pick up some protection if their mothers got the annual shot, experts say.

As drugs and vaccines can be harmful to a fetus, there is a long-standing concern about giving any medicine to a pregnant woman, experts acknowledged. This new study should ease any worries about the flu shot, said Dr. Denise Jamieson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The vaccine is safe," she assures the public.

� 2013, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Pregnancy, flu vaccine, safety, unborn, mortality, safety

NEWSLETTERS »

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 2 of 2 Comments

Susan
3 months ago
Yes, really--injecting known toxins into a woman's body at the most vulnerable time for a child-- being immersed in brain-damaging chemicals--*may* prevent the "flu". Thank God, this push to inject the body with tons of known toxins didn't exist when I had all my healthy children who never needed any antibodies in their first few years of life and few vaccinations. It amazes me--how sick American kids are now, with the Autism epidemic--non-existent when I was in school. Mass illnesses since the mid-80's when they started forcing dozens of injections of who-knows-what by corporations headed by people who believe there needs to be billions of less people on the earth. The abortion pushers and Sanger-Types control outcome of all "good" research. Trust them? Never.
Randi
4 months ago
I am not sure if this study is to be believed, as another recent study showed that the fetal mortality rate rose 4,250% for mothers who received the flu vaccine while pregnant. It is acknowledged that the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of death from flu for the pregnant mother, but that it is extremely dangerous to the baby in the womb. Which study is to be believed? They can't both be right.

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment