Can You Get a Flu Shot While Pregnant?

Yes, the flu shot is not only safe but strongly recommended during pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises all pregnant women to receive the influenza vaccine during any trimester. The inactivated flu vaccine contains no live virus and cannot cause flu infection in mother or baby. Pregnant women face a higher risk of severe flu complications, including hospitalization, than non-pregnant women. The vaccine helps protect both mother and baby, with antibodies passing through the placenta and reducing the baby's risk of flu during the first several months of life, before flu vaccination begins at 6 months of age.