Faith Regional Health Services | living WELL | Fall 2018

6 FAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, vaccines do double duty: They keep both you and your baby safe from serious—and avoidable—diseases. “Vaccinations during pregnancy are a key component to keeping both mom and baby safe,” says Alex Laudenklos, MD, Obstetrician/ Gynecologist with Faith Regional Health Services. “These two vaccines will help protect the infant from pick- ing up serious and potentially fatal illnesses from family members or others they may come in contact with. Vaccines provide a crucial opportunity to protect your baby after it’s born.” Here are two vaccines that all women should get every time they’re pregnant: A flu shot. This is a must because pregnancy makes it more likely that you’ll get seriously ill if you get the flu. Getting vaccinated also makes it less likely that your baby will get the flu for several months after birth. That’s crucial since the flu can be severe in babies. And babies can’t get vaccinated until they’re six months 2 must-have vaccines during pregnancy Influenza can be miserable and deadly. Nearly everyone 6 months or older should get a yearly flu vaccine. Flu viruses change from year to year. To stay protected, you need a flu vaccine every year. Bust that myth! The flu shot can’t give you the flu. It has no infectious germs.* *Mild side effects from the shot may occur, but serious reactions are very rare. Take your best shot at staying well Call one of our primary care clinics to schedule your flu vaccine. ! Flu season alert Vaccinate! Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate. It takes 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to be fully effective. old. You can get the flu shot during any trimester of your pregnancy. The whooping cough vaccine. This infection can be serious for any- one. But it’s especially serious for ba- bies. About half of all babies younger than 1 year old who get whooping cough need to be hospitalized—and some won’t survive. Like the flu vac- cine, this one also helps protect babies from a dangerous disease until they’re old enough to be vaccinated. Safe for both of you Still, as a mom-to-be you may wonder about the safety of anything you put in your body—vaccines included. That’s why it’s so important to know that these two vaccines, or any others your doctor might advise during pregnancy, are very safe for you and your baby. All vaccines are held to the highest standards of safety. They’re carefully studied and monitored for side effects. And these side effects are usually mild and go away on their own. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services