Flu 2021: Why vaccination is so important for pregnant women this year

Flu 2021/2022
Why the flu vaccination is especially important for pregnant women this year

According to experts, vaccination against flu this fall is particularly important for pregnant women. After the quasi-failed wave last season, more sick people can be expected again this year, says Cornelia Hösemann from the board of the professional association of gynecologists. “Because the immune system first has to be trained again. In addition, with 2 or 3G regulations, the obligation to wear the mask is no longer applicable, so that infections that are spread via droplets will generally occur again.” Pregnant women could well consider whether they would like to wear mouth and nose protection for their own protection, regardless of the applicable requirements.

According to the doctor, who is also a member of the Saxon Vaccination Commission (Siko), pregnant women are particularly at risk if they become infected with certain pathogens: “A real influenza during pregnancy can be life-threatening.” The professional association also speaks of possible stronger fever attacks and more severe pneumonia caused by the flu virus as well as admissions to the hospital and the intensive care unit. With severe febrile infections, the risk of premature labor and premature birth generally increases, it said.

Flu plus corona protection

Hösemann reports that her practice in Großpösna near Leipzig has been vaccinated against flu since the end of September. In some cases, pregnant women would also receive the spades against Covid-19 if they had not received it earlier. The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has been recommending corona immunization with mRNA vaccines for still unvaccinated pregnant women since mid-September, while the Saxon Vaccination Commission had already voted in favor of this step in May.

As a result, women from other federal states who wanted to be vaccinated also drove to their practice, says Hösemann. She is now receiving baby photos and thank you letters from these women. In some other countries such as Israel and the USA, pregnant women were able to get immunized even earlier – while many doctors in Germany were reluctant to do this without recommending Stiko.

Despite the now broad international experience: Hösemann often notices ignorance and misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccination in her work. She asks unvaccinated women why. “About half of the pregnant women in our practice had already been vaccinated against Covid-19, the other half had planned the pregnancy and therefore did not have the vaccination done for the time being. This waiting would of course not have been necessary.”

Hösemann emphasizes that there is no need to worry about the mRNA vaccine. Many women have picked up somewhere that the vaccination is allegedly sterile. On the other hand, she believes that, according to the logic of this false information, the many millions of people infected with corona must also be sterile, which is not the case. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) now also expressly emphasizes on its website: The claim about infertility after vaccination is wrong.

Some people also believed that vaccinations during pregnancy are generally harmful to the unborn child, according to the doctor. In fact, live vaccines such as measles, mumps and rubella should not be given during pregnancy. With so-called dead vaccines, however, which contain killed pathogens or their components, there are no such concerns, the vaccination reactions are low, says the doctor. “Vaccinations during pregnancy are not fundamentally dangerous. Some vaccinations should definitely be done after consultation.”

Vaccination from the second trimester of pregnancy

The reason for the increased risk of pregnant women with diseases such as flu, whooping cough and Covid-19 is primarily the immune system, explains Hösemann. It is throttled, otherwise it would be directed against the unborn child. The mother’s oxygen intake is also vital for the child. If the pregnant woman’s breathing is impaired by a lung disease, this also harms the child.

Vaccinations are about protecting mother and child: Antibodies are passed on via the placenta so that the baby has what is known as nest protection even in the first six months after delivery. Breastfeeding also helps.

Vaccinations against flu and Covid-19 are usually from the second trimester of pregnancy – a pure precautionary measure, as Hösemann says. In high-risk pregnancies, for example if the pregnant woman has diabetes or is very overweight, the Piks is also possible in the first trimester.

You can also read: Corona, cold or flu – this is how the symptoms differ

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