Is flu shot safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about flu shot during pregnancy?

1. The flu shot can't give you the flu because it's made with an inactivated virus and contains no live flu virus at all. 1
2. Research on thousands of pregnant women who got the flu shot hasn't turned up a higher chance of birth defects, miscarriage, preterm delivery, or low birth weight. 1
3. Your body passes flu antibodies to your baby after the shot, and pairing vaccination with breastfeeding can lower your baby's chance of getting the flu by up to 60% in their first 6 months. 1
4. A 2023 review pooling more than 60 studies found no link between the flu shot and preterm birth, pregnancy loss, or babies born small for their age, though researchers note more high-quality data would still help. 2
5. The flu shot doesn't just help your baby: research also backs it up as an effective way to lower your own chances of getting seriously sick with flu while you're pregnant. 3

Is flu shot safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Getting the flu shot in the first trimester is safe, and there's no reason to wait. Studies of thousands of pregnant women haven't found a higher chance of birth defects or miscarriage tied to early vaccination.
• Second trimester. The second trimester is a common, convenient time to get vaccinated, especially if a flu shot wasn't available yet earlier in your pregnancy. It still gives your baby protective antibodies well before birth.
• Third trimester. The third trimester still works well, and it's actually when the most antibodies have time to build up and cross over to protect your newborn. If you're due in the summer, ask your provider whether getting vaccinated earlier makes sense, since supplies may not be out yet in July or August.