>>Dr. Alicia Fry: Hello, I'm Dr. Alicia Fry
with the CDC influenza division.
This video is intended for pregnant women and children
as well as their healthcare providers.
Today I'll provide answers
to several common questions about flu vaccines.
I would like to begin with the question;
should I get a flu vaccine if I'm pregnant?
The answer, which I would like to emphasize, is "yes."
Pregnancy lowers your body's deafness making you more
vulnerable to serious flu complications that can lead
to hospitalization or even death. This
risk for more serious complication also extends
at least 2 weeks postpartum regardless of pregnancy outcome.
Getting a flu shot protects pregnant women
from getting the flu and it protects their babies too.
Studies show that getting a flu shot while pregnant can decrease
your baby's chance of getting the flu for up
to 6 months after birth.
Because infants younger than 6 months of age are too young
to be vaccinated, vaccinating mothers
and close contacts is the best way to protect them.
Flu shots are safe for both pregnant women
and their unborn babies.
Note that pregnant women are recommended
to receive a flu shot, not the nasal spray vaccine.
As an alternative to the regular flu shot,
pregnant women also can receive the intradermal flu shot
which is FDA licensed for use in adults 18
through 64 years of age.
The intradermal flu shot uses a needle that is 90% smaller
than the regular flu shot and it is injected
into the skin instead of the muscle.
The next question is; when should I get the flu shot
if I'm pregnant and, is it safe
to get it while I'm breastfeeding?
The flu shot can be given during any trimester of pregnancy
and it is safe for women who are currently breastfeeding
or planning to breast feed their child.
Women who are not pregnant
but who are also breastfeeding also may receive the nasal spray
flu vaccine.
The next question is; why are pregnant women at higher risk
for serious flu-related complications?
Changes in the immune system which impact your ability
to fight disease, cardiac system which involves your heart
and blood circulation, and pulmonary system which pertains
to your lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women more prone
to serious illness from the flu.
This is why it's so important for pregnant women
to get vaccinated against influenza.
The next few questions involve the flu vaccine for children.
We'll start with the question;
why should my child get a flu vaccine?
Flu is a serious disease and this remains true
for children of all ages.
Every year in the United States,
even healthy children are hospitalized or die
from flu complications.
In the United States each year an average
of 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized
because of flu complications.
Children younger than 5 years old,
and especially those younger than age 2, are at higher risk
of serious flu complications, including hospitalization
and death compared to older children.
This risk of serious illness is highest among children younger
than 6 months of age.
CDC recommends vaccination for all children 6 months
through 18 years of age.
Vaccination is especially important
for protecting children with asthma, diabetes (type 1 and 2),
and other long-term health conditions because they are
at increased risk for serious complications from flu.
Children with long-term medical conditions
like these are more likely to be hospitalized
with flu related complications than children
who are otherwise healthy.
If you life with or care for a child at high risk
for serious complications from flu, both you
and your child should get vaccinated.
Be sure to let the doctor know if your child has an allergy
to eggs or any health conditions like asthma,
heart or lung conditions, neurologic conditions,
or other medical problems.
The next question is; what
if my child is too young for a flu vaccine?
Infants younger than 6 months old are too young
to be vaccinated, but you can protect them
by getting yourself, other children, and family members
in the household and other close contacts vaccinated.
This will help prevent spreading the virus to infants.
The next question is; should my child get the flu shot
or the nasal spray vaccine?
Although the influenza vaccine is available in the form
of a shot or a nasal spray, there are some differences
in the groups recommended for each.
Flu shots are FDA licensed for use in people 6 months of age
or older, including pregnant women.
The nasal spray vaccine,
also known as the live attenuated influenza vaccine
or LAIV, is FDA licensed for healthy people 2
through 49 years of age who are not pregnant.
The term "healthy" is used to indicate
that this vaccine is not recommended for use in people
with asthma, heart disease, diabetes,
or other long-term medical conditions.
If your child is healthy and 2 years of age or older,
they can get either a flu shot or the nasal spray vaccine.
The absence of a needle with the nasal spray vaccine may make it
more appealing for your child.
Both flu shots and the nasal spray vaccine have been shown
to be effective.
If your child is younger than 2 years of age or is any age
with a long-term medical condition or a history
of wheezing, they should get the flu shot
and not the nasal spray vaccine.
This concludes the CDC video on answers to common questions
about the flu vaccine for pregnant women and children.
Thank you for watching.
For more information related to flu and the flu vaccine,
please visit the CDC flu webpage at www.cdc.gov/flu.