A new
Australian study has found that a simple seasonal flu shot may reduce a pregnant woman´s risk of stillbirth.
The study was
quite large where nearly 58,000 births were studied in which more than 5,000
women took the flu shot, during the 2012-2013 flu seasons.
They
discovered that women who received the flu shot had 51% lower risk of
stillbirth than those who didn’t. They added that similar results were found
during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
The author
said that further research was needed to confirm the possible association
between stillbirths, but they were hopefull, since about 40% of pregnant women
go unvaccinated, even when having the flu during pregnancy has been linked to
fetal death and premature birth. However, many pregnant women don't get a flu
shot because of concerns for the safety of the fetus.
According
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone 6 months of
age and older, including pregnant women during any trimester, should get an
annual flu shot.
There
are more than 3 million stillbirths worldwide each year. If a link between flu
season and stillbirth is found, it could have a major impact on infant deaths,
according to the study authors.
In my opinion
this is an interesting article, where a simple flu shot can prevent such
terrible things as premature births and stillbirths.
We can also
appreciate the divergent opinions when it comes to the pregnant women to decide
whether is it best to take the flu shot, afraid of what may happen to their
baby, or risking a stillbirth.
Is the
seasonal flu shot a good measure in reducing the number of stillbirths and
premature births? Are people misinformed about the benefits of a seasonal flu
shot during pregnancy? What do you guys think?
(If you want to see the articles visit: )
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/03/10/cid.ciw082.abstracthttps://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_158080.html
I am so surprised with this article because it has always tried to be very careful with gravid women and diseases, providing many indications for infection prevention and other illnesses in pregnant by possible risks in fetus.
ResponderEliminarThanks to further studies in the disease, we can lead to new information which will be eventually impressive, so I think it would be very interesting to investigate more in these issues, even knowing the data shown in this article, and perhaps we could prevent many deaths and malformations in newborns.
This is a controversial issue, it should do balance the advantages and disadvantages of vaccinating during pregnant.
ResponderEliminarIt is considered that pregnant women are especially vulnerable to influenza infections. Adverse effects of infection affect both the mother and the fetus, producing from premature birth until fetal death.
It should examine the relationship between the risks and benefits of vaccination against influenza, at all stages of pregnancy, due to the high risk to the mother and fetus by the disease itself and the possible risk, however small, they are representing inactivated vaccines for both.
On the other hand, it must be reported correctly to all pregnant women about the risks and benefits and advice according to scientific evidence.
Personally, I think this is a very interesting paper which affect around the world and deserved be mentioned.
ResponderEliminarLike my classmates said, is a very controversial issue because it is important that pregnant receives the vaccine but they are worried about their fetal risk.
If I don't say wrong, be pregnant is an indication to receive the vaccine, so if they doesn't want to receive it is because they haven't all the information that they need to take the correct election.
If this vaccine can prevent premature newborns and stillbirth, this information have to arrive to every pregnant. Their obstetrician must to inform them how their can prevent this problems and that this vaccine is safe to their fetus.
In my opinion, is a issue that has to be studied hard and achieve take this vaccine to every pregnant around the world.
I have to admit this article suprised me, not only for the data they bring to light but for the general idea. I think that's a great topic.
ResponderEliminarWe live in a world where the prevention of infectious diseases in pregnant women is an important matter which concerns all of us. Furthermore, we are very worried about the vaccines' effects and how they can alter the pregnancy and the childs' birhts.
As we already know the flu can have lethal consequences on the newborns so it's important to prevent these and avoid stillbirths.
But, how can we achieve it? I think the best way would be a big campaign in order to inform every pregnant woman about the flu and their shot.
For all these reasons, I think it's important to continue with these studies to prove the efficiency of the flu's vaccine to prevent stillbirths but keeping in mind its risks and benefits for the fetus.
In my opinion, it is well known that any infection during pregnancy, no matter how harmless it seems, is a potential risk for both the mother and the fetus. For example, suffering rubella or malaria during pregnancy can cause mental disability of the newborn, and it is a solid evidence that infections affect the fetus. Then, why don't pregnant women worry about the flu? It is an infection too, so it can affect the fetus like other, more severe infections do. What I'm trying to say, is that the amount of women who don't seem to consider the flu important enough to get the vaccinehas surprised me. Specially when there is a campaign every year to warn them about the risks of the flu and to remember them the safety of the vaccine.
ResponderEliminarAfter reading the article, I'm even more convinced of the importance of getting the flu shot while being pregnant. The results don't show any risk associated to the vaccine, and what's more, they show a great benefit. That it can really save lives. Of course, these results have to be confirmed and more studies have to be done, but it looks like a good start.
I think that the important question here is: "do pregnant women have enough information about health in this delicate period?" This article has made me think that they don't; because it seems that the concern about the side effects of vaccines is still more powerful than the evidence of their safety.
In conclusion, I think that the possible protection that the flu shot offers against stillbirth has to be more studied and more spread. Maybe this can reduce the prejudices about the real risks that vaccines represent for the fetus.
I have found this article really interesting. In the current days, the debate on whether we should vaccinate our children, pregnant women or even our ninety-year-old granny who spends all her day staring out of the window, it's common.
ResponderEliminarIt's an evidence that pregnant women are more susceptible to flu-related complications so the vaccine may be needed. Despite this, the truth is that it is not the virus but the immune reaction due to the infection, which damages the fetus.
I cannot but admit that this sentence left me speechless: " According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women during any trimester, should get an annual flu shot." Everyone? Is it flu a public health problem that justifies such a huge investment? I do not think so.
About the risk groups such as pregnant women, since evidence shows the necessity and safety of this medical intervention, it is sensible to maintain it, but more research about this topic is needed, for example, in order to know if all pregnant women need the vaccine or just a part of them or if flu really causes either stillbirths or premature births.
Every medical intervention has its risks and benefits and right now we have to choose. We need more research since just this will give us the answers to this problem.
Thank you for the comments, I’m glad that all of you enjoyed this post.
ResponderEliminarJust like you, I also didn’t know that such high amount of women wouldn’t take the flu shots. Maybe the reason women don’t relate the flu with potential stillbirths, aside of possibly being misinformed, it’s because the flu is very frequent, everyone had it at some point of life, and normally harmless, and temporary; but what they might forget is the fact that women are immunodeficient throughout the pregnancy.
I do agree with Ester that “everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women during any trimester, should get an annual flu shot" might be an over statement. But the point was that there are not nearly as many women being vaccinated, as it should.
I think we all agree that there should not be so many women unvaccinated during the pregnancy, and an effort should be made to prevent it, and part of it could be achieved by something as simple as a flu shot.