A Drug You Can Take While Pregnant!

Alexandra Legge is a student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her and her colleagues used data from the Nova Scotia Perinatal Database to examine maternal vaccination rates and the outcome in women who gave birth in Nova Scotia. This all took place between November 1, 2010 and March 31, 2012. Canadian researchers then reported that women who had used the influenza vaccination during pregnancy were associated with improved neonatal outcomes. This includes lower risk for preterm birth and also low birth weight. “Our findings add to the existing body of evidence showing that seasonal influenza vaccination during pregnancy not only offers maternal benefits, but may also provide both prenatal benefits to the fetus and postnatal protection to the infant through transplacental antibodies,” researchers wrote in CMAJ.During their examination, Alex and her colleagues noticed that only 16% of the women were vaccinated against influenza during pregnancy which the researchers described as "disappointingly low." The women that were more likely to receive the influenza vaccine during pregnancy were women that were living in rural areas. On the other hand, women who smoked were less likely to receive the vaccination. Researchers said "by averting maternal infection, the vaccine may exert and protective effect on the fetus by avoiding the associated inflammatory response that may trigger premature labor."

This article surprised me because were always taught that taking medicines/drugs while pregnant can harm/danger the baby. We always see "if you are pregnant do not..." and while we are also shown things to also help you have a healthy pregnancy, its astounding and interesting to know that there are some drugs/vaccines/medicines out there that can help you and you're baby out.

If you were NOT a regular flu vaccinator, would this change your mind at all if you were pregnant? Carol J. Baker, MD Professor of molecular virology and microbiology Baylor College of Medicine Houston "Influenza vaccination during pregnancy may lead to improved birth outcomes." Infectious Disease News. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2014. .