Pregnant women who get flu shots may reduce the chance of having a stillbirth, says a new study.
The study focused on Australian women who gave birth during the 2012 and 2013 flu seasons. After controlling for a number of factors, such as wealth, age, and whether the woman had diabetes or hypertension, vaccinated women were found to have a 51 percent lower chance of stillbirth than unvaccinated ones.
The notion that pregnant women should get flu shots is not groundbreaking. Medical authorities have long recommended it, yet most pregnant women still don't get vaccinated.
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Study author Annette K. Regan, of the Western Australia health department, told the New York Times that while some women likely don't get the shot simply because they are not told to do so by their doctor or don't bother, others are convinced that getting the vaccine may be harmful to their baby.
"We hope," she continued, "that these results show not only pregnant women but also their providers that flu vaccination is safe during pregnancy and has major benefits for both mother and infant."
It is not clear to what extent reluctance by mothers to get vaccinated during pregnancy is linked to the broader movement against vaccinating infants and children against more serious diseases, such as measles and smallpox.
Public health leaders were happy to report in February that it appeared that this year's flu season would be mild because flu vaccines have proven to be more effective than usual.
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