Reduce the risks of flu to you and your baby ? get the jab that could ...

Pregnant women will do anything to protect their unborn child ? but figures from last winter show that just 23% of mums-to-be in Bradford and Airedale had the flu jab.

Linda Scott, immunisation and vaccination lead at NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, said:

?Flu can cause serious illness in pregnant women and in the most severe cases can put the lives of expectant mums and their unborn babies at risk. This is because the woman?s body and immune system is adapting to accommodate the growing baby and is therefore less able to fight off the flu virus.?

Pregnant women who catch flu are at increased risk of serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia. And by not having the vaccine, mothers could put the baby at risk of premature or still birth.

?When you are pregnant with your child you want to do what is right for your baby and some mothers-to-be worry about the vaccine. It is safe for mother and baby and can be given at any stage of pregnancy. In fact, having a flu jab while pregnant will also automatically protect your baby against this dangerous illness because the antibodies you develop are passed to your baby and will last during the first few months of your baby?s life,? added Linda.

?In addition, many pregnant mothers already have children at home and with a family to look after cannot afford to fall ill. So getting the jab not only protects the mother and unborn baby, but also their loved ones too.?

This year, pregnant women are also being urged to get the whooping cough vaccination to give their baby the best protection against whooping cough, following a national outbreak of the disease, as very young babies are at the greatest risk of serious complications. Women who are 28 weeks pregnant or more should contact their GP practice to get vaccinated, or speak to their midwife.

During the 2011/12 flu season approximately 5,500 pregnant women registered with a GP practice in Bradford and Airedale, less than a quarter had the flu jab.

There are four groups of people most at risk from flu ? pregnant women; people with long term health conditions; carers and people over 65 years.

There are additional ways people can protect themselves and those around them from flu. Good hand hygiene ? the ?catch it, bin it, kill it? technique ? reduces the spread of germs. This means carrying tissues, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, disposing of the tissue after one use, and cleaning hands as soon as possible with soap and water or an alcohol hand gel.

Pregnant women can ask their midwife or GP practice about a flu jab or call NHS Direct on: 0845 46 47 for more information.

Ends

For further information contact the communications team on: 01274 237719.

baby, flu, vaccine Press releases

Source: http://www.bradford.nhs.uk/press-releases/reduce-the-risks-of-flu-to-you-and-your-baby-get-the-jab-that-could-save-your-life-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reduce-the-risks-of-flu-to-you-and-your-baby-get-the-jab-that-could-save-your-life-2

st louis news utah jazz lawrence of arabia denver nuggets correspondents dinner i am legend san antonio spurs