Pregnant Women and the Flu Vaccine

If you're pregnant, you're advised to have the injectable flu vaccine, regardless of the stage of pregnancy you have reached.

That's because there's strong evidence to suggest pregnant women have an increased risk of developing complications if they get flu.

If you're pregnant, you'll benefit from the flu vaccine because:

• it reduces your chance of getting serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy
• it reduces your risk of having a miscarriage, or your baby being born prematurely or with a low birthweight, because of flu
• it'll help protect your baby, as they'll continue to have some immunity to flu for the first few months of their life

It's safe to have the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy from conception onwards.

Talk to a GP, midwife or pharmacist if you want more information.

Find out more about the flu vaccine in pregnancy