Flu shots in pregnancy aid babies
Source: Agencies |
October 6, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NEWBORN babies whose mothers got a flu shot while pregnant are less likely to get the flu or to be admitted to the hospital with a respiratory illness in the first six months of life, United States researchers said on Monday.
During most flu seasons, babies under six months tend to have fewer cases of flu-like illnesses than those who are six to 12 months old, most likely because they are protected by their mothers' natural antibodies.
But in severe flu seasons, such as the 2009 swine flu pandemic, these youngest children, who are too young to get flu shots themselves, are more likely to be hospitalized and die from flu than older babies.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has for years recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against seasonal flu, but the study adds to other research showing that newborn babies benefit, too.
The findings are particularly relevant with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, which hit pregnant women and young babies especially hard, researcher Angelia Eick and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
During most flu seasons, babies under six months tend to have fewer cases of flu-like illnesses than those who are six to 12 months old, most likely because they are protected by their mothers' natural antibodies.
But in severe flu seasons, such as the 2009 swine flu pandemic, these youngest children, who are too young to get flu shots themselves, are more likely to be hospitalized and die from flu than older babies.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has for years recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against seasonal flu, but the study adds to other research showing that newborn babies benefit, too.
The findings are particularly relevant with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, which hit pregnant women and young babies especially hard, researcher Angelia Eick and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
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