Mums-to-be urged to get flu jab

PREGNANT women in Warrington are being urged by local midwives to get vaccinated against the flu ahead of winter.
For the first time some midwifery teams will be offering to vaccinate pregnant women at their antenatal appointments.
Katie Dee, immunisation lead for the North West at the strategic health authority, said: “There have been some really upsetting cases over the last two winters, where pregnant women have caught the flu, become seriously ill, and in some cases have died.
“Unfortunately if you are pregnant you are susceptible to serious complications if you catch the flu virus. The best step you can take to protect yourself and your baby is to have the flu vaccine.”
Last year 16,356 mums-to-be from the region had the flu vaccine – but this is only 43.3 per cent of the number eligible. The flu vaccine has been routinely offered to all pregnant women in the USA for over 10 years.
Evidence shows that the vaccination of pregnant women provides protection for the first four to six months of the baby’s life. Some women experience mild side effects such as fever, fatigue, headache and swelling at the injection site, but these will usually disappear within two days.
All pregnant women are eligible for a free flu vaccine, and further information is available from their GP or midwife.