Difficult Hunt for a Pregnancy Flu Shot

Pregnant women are being urged to get flu shots, especially the vaccine for H1N1 (swine) flu. But it often isn’t easy, the Associated Press reported September 29. There are many reasons. Women are reluctant to take any medicine while pregnant. Obstetricians don’t usually vaccinate patients. And some pregnant women have been turned away by pharmacies, a major location for flu shots. Pregnant women are 1% of the U.S. population. But about 6% of those who died from H1N1 flu were pregnant women. They are also more likely to be hospitalized with flu. Shots protect the woman and her baby as well. So the professional group for obstetricians is urging doctors to link up with a drugstore or hospital to make sure patients get vaccinated. The American Pharmacists Association also is trying to get the word out. It’s urging members to vaccinate pregnant women.