Do I need to get a flu shot when planning a pregnancy? — MEDSI
Table of contents
- Flu vaccine and pregnancy planning
- Immune system during pregnancy
- Danger of the virus for pregnant women
- What vaccinations should I get when planning?
- Vaccine options
- When it is contraindicated
- Is it possible to get vaccinated during pregnancy?
- Adverse reactions
- Advantages of carrying out the procedure at MEDSI
Pregnancy planning should begin at least six months before conception. And getting a flu shot is included in the list of necessary actions.
Flu vaccine and pregnancy planning
A flu shot should be given before conception for several reasons:
- So that the woman’s body has time to develop antibodies to the disease
- To make it easier for the expectant mother to endure vaccination while her immunity is not yet weakened
- To avoid harm to the developing baby
Immune system during pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman's immune system weakens to allow the fetus to develop. Otherwise, it will be rejected by the body as a foreign body. But due to lower immunity, the expectant mother is more at risk of contracting diseases than others.
Danger of the virus for pregnant women
A pregnant woman can easily become infected with the flu. It is most dangerous due to the likelihood of complications such as:
- Exacerbation of chronic diseases
- Miscarriage
- Development of heart defects or other organ defects in the fetus
- Premature birth
During this period, the introduction of medications into the body of the expectant mother is limited, since not all of them are safe for the developing baby.
What vaccinations should I get when planning?
Since it is not always possible to reliably find out whether the expectant mother has previously been vaccinated against certain diseases, when planning to bear a child, it is necessary to receive vaccinations from the following list:
- In seven months:
- Hepatitis B – done three times in stages
- Rubella
- Parotitis
- Measles
- Chicken pox
- Flu
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Polio
If a woman becomes infected with a similar disease while carrying a fetus, there is a risk that it will develop developmental disorders and pathologies. There is also the possibility of miscarriage.
Vaccine options
A flu shot is required when planning a pregnancy. There are several drug options. Some of them contain elements of the destroyed pathogen, while others contain a living but weakened virus.
It is recommended to use the newest vaccine options. They appear in the fall of every year.
When it is contraindicated
Vaccination against this disease cannot be used in the following cases:
- First trimester of pregnancy
- The person is allergic to antibiotics and chicken eggs (in this case, there are types of drugs that can be used)
- The patient is already infected
Is it possible to get vaccinated during pregnancy?
The vaccine can be used in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. It is not prescribed in the first twelve weeks.
Adverse reactions
- Severe headache
- Discomfort and redness of the skin at the injection site
- Nausea
Advantages of carrying out the procedure at MEDSI
- Only modern high-quality vaccines are used - the safest and most effective
- A specialist can visit your home
- Make an appointment by phone 8 (495) 7-800-500
Examinations and vaccinations: a gynecologist spoke about how to plan a pregnancy
Women and men who decide to become parents do not always properly prepare for this important step. According to statistics, only 6-7 percent of expectant mothers go to the doctor to find out how to get pregnant, carry and give birth to a healthy child. Irina Burenina, obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of the highest category, head of antenatal clinic No. 3 of the maternity hospital of the city clinical hospital No. 40 of the Moscow Department of Health, spoke about the main misconceptions when planning pregnancy .
“The main mistake is to believe that before pregnancy a woman does not need to see an obstetrician-gynecologist and undergo a medical examination. It is important to get tested and undergo treatment if any abnormalities are detected before pregnancy. This will prevent negative consequences for both the woman and the unborn baby,” the doctor noted.
Some women do not get tested for hepatitis, HIV and sexually transmitted infections. It is also very important to take a blood test for TORCH infections: rubella, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus.
If you do not find out about the presence of the disease before the start of pregnancy, then there is a risk of intrauterine infection of the fetus, ectopic pregnancy, the development of placental insufficiency, as well as fetal growth restriction syndrome. In addition, rubella and toxoplasmosis in the mother can lead to various malformations of the unborn child, and cytomegalovirus and herpes can lead to damage to its central nervous system.
Lack of vaccinations can also lead to irreversible consequences . When planning a pregnancy, doctors always direct women to get tested for antibodies to various infections and, if necessary, get vaccinated if this has not been done before.
How to plan a pregnancy Muscovite card for an expectant mother - how to get and use
your partner also needs to see a doctor. “Preparation for pregnancy is necessary for both future parents, since both the man and the woman equally provide the embryo with genetic material and are jointly responsible for the health of the unborn baby,” explains Irina Burenina.
In addition to general tests and examinations, a man may need a spermogram. The purpose of this analysis is to find out a man’s ability to procreate. Its results will tell you about the number, shape and energy of sperm.
In addition, at the stage of pregnancy planning, the doctor recommends both women and men give up smoking and alcohol
“It is advisable to conduct the examination at least three months before the expected conception. Those women who have already had unsuccessful pregnancies should pay particular attention to this period,” advised the obstetrician-gynecologist.
Safety, comfort and care: how Moscow maternity hospitals are changing Modern technology and experienced staff: pregnant Muscovites have access to the most qualified care
In recent years, a lot has changed in the capital's obstetrics system: modern technologies have been introduced, the number of perinatal centers has increased, new parents are given baby kits, doctors give recommendations on how to plan a healthy birth, and it is now easier for fathers to get into the ward.
Today in Moscow there are 132 antenatal clinics, 45 gynecology departments, as well as 24 obstetric hospitals , including five perinatal centers.
Maternity clinics work in close conjunction with maternity hospitals and hospitals. In 19 such associations, a woman can receive the full range of medical services: treatment of gynecological diseases, pregnancy management, childbirth, nursing of premature babies in the neonatal department.
Perinatal centers have modern equipment that allows them to care for babies with the smallest weight. New medical technology makes it possible to conduct research that cannot be performed under other conditions.
Vaccination against coronavirus and reproductive function - is there a connection?
Despite the fact that the virus of the new infection SARS-CoV-2 is still at the stage of study, it is already known how much it destroys the human body, affecting absolutely all organs and systems. In women, egg production is disrupted, and in men, sperm quality deteriorates by 40%. If women's organs responsible for childbirth are restored within 3-5 months in most cases, then the indicators obtained after studying men are less optimistic. There are concerns that the long-term consequence is infertility.
Director of the Gamaleya Research Center Alexander Ginzburg officially stated that vaccination against coronavirus and reproductive function are in no way connected. When testing Sputnik V on animals, no negative effect on the ability to reproduce was detected. The vaccinated volunteers are still being monitored. There have been no changes yet.
The same data was released by the head. Department of Zoonotic Infections and Influenza Alexander Ryzhikov in an interview with journalists. But the full cycle of research is planned to be completed only by the end of February. Not only no toxic effect on the gonads, but also teratogenic activity was not detected. That is, if a woman, unaware that she is pregnant, gets vaccinated, there will be no changes in the DNA of the fetus. But you will still need to notify the attending physician about the incident.
Hepatitis “B”, “C” and pregnancy
For gynecologists, infectious disease specialists and their patients, the questions: does the hepatitis B and C virus affect pregnancy, fetal development and is it transmitted to the child from the mother, how does pregnancy affect the health of a mother with hepatitis and is it possible to feed the child
? relevant today.
It is known that hepatitis B and C are infections that are found everywhere. The number of people worldwide infected with hepatitis B and C viruses is in the hundreds of millions. It is believed that about a third of the world's population is infected with the hepatitis B virus. In most countries, the proportion of people infected with hepatitis C virus is approximately 1-1.5%. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of viral hepatitis B and C. Considering the presence of a large number of patients with chronic forms of these hepatitis, as well as the ease of transmission of viruses through sexual and blood contact (with blood), these infections are most relevant for pregnant women at present. In some regions of the world, viral hepatitis C affects up to 5-10% of the adult population (in African countries up to 20%). This virus is mainly transmitted through contact with blood. Hepatitis C is very rarely transmitted through sexual contact. The risk of infection in these cases is only 5% for sexual partners who carry the virus.
Read also
Myths, contraindications and coronavirus
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Immunization against the new coronavirus infection continues at an active pace. Both older generations and young people are getting vaccinated. And if some older people are afraid to get vaccinated due to chronic diseases, then young people planning children are afraid of reproductive dysfunction.
Should you be afraid of harmful consequences for your health? The MP correspondent asked the chief freelance reproductive specialist of the Magadan region, Natalya Batorova , about this, who spoke about the importance of vaccination before planning a pregnancy, both against COVID-19 and other diseases.
IS THE COVID-19 VACCINATION DANGEROUS?
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No, experts say. Scientists have already conducted studies of the vaccine against the new coronavirus infection among citizens of reproductive age, and no consequences associated with impaired reproductive function and reproductive health have been found in either women or men.
“Reproductive toxicity of the vaccine, of course, is excluded,” says Natalya Batorova . – Infecting young people with COVID-19 and treating the disease, on the contrary, can lead to complications and disruption of reproductive function and reproductive organs. Couples planning a pregnancy are required to get vaccinated.
It is better to get vaccinated 6 months before the planned pregnancy for both the expectant mother and the future father. But no less than three months, so that strong immunity has time to form.
“This will help to cope with the disease in a mild form and avoid severe complications,” explained the reproductologist. – It has already been proven that pregnant women suffer the most difficult forms of COVID-19, especially in the third trimester.
A pregnant woman suffering from COVID-19 cannot infect her child, since the new coronavirus infection is not transmitted from mother to child through the blood-brain barrier, nor are antibodies, but complications of the disease can affect the fetus.
“Possible complications during pregnancy that COVID-19 can cause are an important argument in favor of vaccination,” says Natalya Batorova . – Respiratory and heart failure, thrombosis in the mother can affect the health of the baby, causing intrauterine growth retardation and fetoplacental insufficiency. The experience of observing pregnant women who have contracted COVID-19 shows that the disease is more serious during pregnancy.
Moreover, a couple should be vaccinated when planning a pregnancy, because both men and women get sick at the same rate, and the organs of the reproductive system are also damaged in both sexes.
“We recommend that vaccination against COVID-19 be included in the mandatory pre-conception plan - preparing a couple for pregnancy means examination, correction and pregnancy planning,” the specialist explained.
VACCINATION AGAINST RUBELLA
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Before planning a pregnancy, obstetricians and gynecologists also recommend that women who have not had rubella get vaccinated against this disease 6 months before.
– If a woman who has not had rubella in the first trimester gets sick with this disease, then, unfortunately, she will have to give up her pregnancy, because the virus has a teratogenic property and causes developmental defects in the baby. If the expectant mother suffered from an illness before pregnancy, it is recommended to take an antibody test six months before conception. If they are in sufficient quantity, then there is no need to be afraid and there is no need to vaccinate. If there are no antibodies or there are not enough of them, it is necessary to get vaccinated, said Natalya Batorova .
TWO HARES AT ONCE?
The specialist does not recommend vaccinating at the same time. It is worth getting vaccinated regularly.
“I think that first you should be fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection and only then move on to another,” said Natalya Batorova .
VACCINATION DURING PREGNANCY
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Vaccinations during pregnancy are a very complex process. They are contraindicated for women who have had a mild form of the disease in the last three months. If the disease is severe, then vaccination should be delayed for 6 months.
“For each vaccine there are current contraindications, for example, exacerbation of chronic diseases, acute infectious diseases and polyvalent allergies,” explained Natalya Batorova .
Not everything and not always can be vaccinated for pregnant women.
– For example, the flu vaccine is not contraindicated and is even recommended after 12 weeks of pregnancy, since the effect of the vaccine has long been studied. But vaccination against rubella during pregnancy is strictly contraindicated. If we talk about vaccination against the new coronavirus infection, today such vaccination is not carried out, because there is not yet enough data on vaccination during pregnancy, the reproductive specialist explained.
BREAST-FEEDING
Breastfeeding is a contraindication for many types of vaccinations.
– It is better to prevent a situation outside of pregnancy, to prepare carefully, than to fight the disease during pregnancy. The list of medications in the situation is very limited. Our task is to restore and maintain reproductive health and achieve pregnancy. But the most important thing is to give birth to a healthy child,” said Natalya Batorova .
MYTHS AND WHO
Photo: razvitiebaby.ru
The World Health Organization has been actively fighting myths that arise around new and old vaccines for many years. MP has prepared three popular myths about immunization.
- Myth #1: Vaccines cause autism
There is actually no evidence of a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (or any other vaccine) and autism or autism spectrum disorders.
A 1998 study that raised questions about a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism was found to be flawed and the paper was retracted by the journal that published it.
A 2002 Danish study of 537,303 children provided strong evidence of no association between the MMR vaccine and autism. In all children, there was no relationship between age at vaccination, time since vaccination, or date of vaccination, and time of onset of autism symptoms.
- Myth No. 2: Giving a child more than one vaccine at the same time can cause harm to health and overload the immune system.
Scientific research suggests that administering multiple vaccines at the same time does not have a negative effect on a child's immune system. Even in the process of breathing or eating, children are exposed daily to hundreds of thousands of foreign substances that trigger the production of an immune response.
A child is exposed to a much larger number of antigens during a common cold or sore throat than he receives from vaccines.
- Myth No. 3: Vaccines contain mercury, which is dangerous.
Thiomersal is an organic substance containing ethylmercury. It is added to some vaccines as a preservative. Very few vaccines contain thiomersal.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in air, water and soil. Vaccines contain very small amounts of thiomersal.
There is no evidence that the amount of thiomersal contained in vaccines poses any health hazard.
Ulyana MAKHINA
Absolute contraindications
If there are absolute contraindications, there is no need to get vaccinated against coronavirus at all, since the body may react sharply to the introduction of the vaccine. This category includes:
1. Persons with a history of severe allergic reactions.
2. People who are allergic to any component of the vaccine. In the production of vaccines, the same excipients are often used, therefore, if a person has ever had allergic reactions to such drugs, before vaccination, the doctor should check the composition of the previous vaccine and Sputnik V to ensure that it is safe for the patient.
3. Patients with acute infectious and non-infectious diseases. Vaccination of such people is carried out only after the exacerbation of the disease has completed (after 2-4 weeks).
4. Pregnant women and women during breastfeeding.
5. Children and adolescents under 18 years of age. Such measures were taken due to the lack of data on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine for a young body.
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