Each year people get the flu, for an adult it can be horrible but for a baby the risks are far greater, sometimes fatal. Infants from newborn to six months are vulnerable to contracting influenza or influenza-like diseases but cannot have any form of flu vaccine. Pregnant mothers who get the flu shot protect themselves and their infant up to 6 months.

A recent study was funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Aventis-Pasteur, and Evans-Powderject. The study revealed that infants under six months whose mother had the flu shot reduces their chance of contracting the flu by 41%!

The study had 1,169 mothers with young infants take a detailed survey. The survey asked questions regarding whether they had the flu shot while pregnant. About 50% of the mothers had the flu shot and the findings suggest that the flu shot through the vessel of a pregnant mother decreases the chance of the infant contracting influenza under the age of six months.

The pregnant mother's choice to have the flu shot helps protect their precious infants as well as protecting themselves. The flu can differ in severity and symptoms from person to person. Newborns and young infants are vulnerable as they are adapting to the world outside the womb making the need for protection from the influenza virus even greater.

The influenza virus can be spread easily by touch and through the air. All infants are at risk of coming in contact with the influenza virus. The risk is greater for those that are born into homes with multiple children, animals, or will be in day care or other places where lot's of people interact.

Even though the study's focus was to compare pregnant mothers that did have the flu shot with those who did not have the shot they found that most mothers were happy to have the shot if it was recommended by their doctor. If you are pregnant strongly consider the benefits of the flu shot for yourself and the baby growing within you.