No Flu Jab For Most Mums-To-Be

The majority of pregnant women still haven't received a winter flu jab.

Figures from GP practices show 61-percent of expecting mums are yet to be immunised.

Pregnant women are being urged to protect themselves against flu by getting the free flu vaccine, after recent figures show that almost two thirds - 61 percent - are still to be vaccinated.
 
The call comes as statistics show flu was the cause of death among one in 11 women in the UK who died during, or shortly after, pregnancy between 2009 and 2012.

Pregnant women, with flu, are also five times more likely to have a stillborn baby, or for the baby to die in the first week following birth.
 
By getting the free flu vaccination, mums-to-be can take a positive step to protect themselves and their unborn baby. Women can have the flu vaccination at any stage of their pregnancy and evidence shows that the vaccine can help to protect the baby for up to three months after birth.
 
Gillian Smith, Director of the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland, said if a pregnant woman catches the flu it can cause severe complications for mother and baby.

She said: "This can all be prevented by getting the free vaccination, which only takes a few minutes.
 
“Being pregnant means you’re at a greater risk of experiencing complications from flu, because a woman’s immune system changes to help them cope with pregnancy. At worst you could experience premature labour or miscarriage. No mother should take that risk so I encourage all pregnant women to get the vaccination to ensure the maximum protection for themselves and their babies this winter.”

More than two million Scots are being offered the vaccine as part of the flu vaccination programme, which aims to ensure that the people who need it most receive free protection. People with underlying health conditions such as asthma or diabetes, pregnant women, and those aged 65 and over are most at risk from flu and are being encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as possible. They would suffer more serious health complications if they caught flu, even if they previously felt fit and well.
 
This year’s vaccination programme has also been extended to include 2-11 year olds, as they are two to three more times to be ill with flu than adults. Approximately 550,000 children aged 2 to 11 are being offered a new nasal spray vaccine to help stop the spread of flu.