FAQ about pregnancy and the flu

Should pregnant women get a flu shot?

THE TODAY'S TMJ4 COMMUNITYBABY SHOWER IS TODAY.DROP OFFANY NEW BABY ITEMS AT ANY AREASENTRY STORE.THE ITEMS GO TOMILWAUKEE-AREA BABIES IN NEED.WE'VE TALKED A LOT THIS WEEKABOUT THE NEEDS OF BABIESAFTER THEY'RE BORN.TODAY,WE'RE TALKING ABOUT áPRE-NATALCAREá AND THE FLU.SHOULDPREGNANT WOMEN GET A FLU SHOT?absolutely DR. ROSEANN GUMINAIS AN OB/GYN WITH FROEDTERTAND THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OFWISCONSIN.

The most importantthing a pregnant woman can doto combat or protect herselfagainst the flu is by gettingthe influenza vaccine betterknown as the flu shot.

SHESAYS CHANGES IN THE IMMUNESYSTEM PUT PREGNANT WOMEN ATGREATER RISK OF BECOMINGSEVERELY ILL.

More prolongedsymptoms, higher fevers,possibly even more respiratorydistress that could result inhospitalization.

GETTING A FLUSHOT NOT ONLY HELPS MOM, ITALSO HELPS BABY you will betransferring antibodies to thebaby so really in facttransferring some of yourprotection to the baby IF APREGNANT WOMAN DOES GET THEFLU, DR. GUMINA SUGGESTSCALLING THE DOCTOR'S OFFICEINSTEAD OF GOING TO A ROUTINEO-B APPOINTMENa lot of times we'll talkthrough things, have you go toan urgent care.

But you don'twant to be exposing otherbabies or moms in a clinicalsetting AND IF YOU'RE TRYINGTO DECIDE ON OVER-THE-COUNTERCOLD MEDICINE, SHE SAYS MANYARE SAFE BUT TALK TO YOURDOCTOR FIRST.DR. GUMINA SAYS MILWAUKEE HASSEEN THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OFFLU CASES AND RELATEDHOSPITALIZATIONS SINCE THESTART OF THE FLU SEASON.WEWANT TO THANK FROEDTERT ANDTHE MEDICAL COLLEGE OFWISCONSIN BIRTH CENTERS FORPARTNERING WITH US ON THECOMMUNITY BABY SHOWER.IT'SGOING ON TODAY.DROP OFF ANYáNEW BABY ITEMS LIKE DIAPERS,WIPES, CLOTHES, AND FORMULA ATANY SENTRY STORE OR HERE ATTODAY'S TMJ4