What type of seasonal influenza vaccine should pregnant women receive?
• There are two types of influenza vaccines. One is the inactivated influenza vaccine (“flu-shot”) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. This is the type of vaccine that ACIP recommends pregnant women should receive. • The other type of influenza vaccine, “nasal – spray” influenza vaccine (sometimes called LAIV for “live attenuated influenza vaccine”) is made with live weakened influenza virus. The live attenuated influenza vaccine is not recommended by the ACIP for use in pregnancy. Does FDA support the CDC and ACIP recommendations to vaccinate pregnant women to help prevent influenza disease? • Yes. FDA supports the recommendation of CDC and the ACIP that pregnant women receive vaccinations to help protect them against both the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and seasonal influenza. What is known about the safety of influenza vaccines in pregnant women? • Studies of several thousand pregnant women in the scientific literature have shown that inactivated seasonal influen
