A new study focused on autism risks argues that there is no link between the appearance of the condition and flu vacciines administered to pregnant women, as there no major differences between children born by vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers.
The study relied on that collected by a Swedish Health Institute between October 2009 and 2010. More than 40,000 infants were born to mothers who had received the flu vaccine, and 29,000 infants were born to mothers who did not receive the shoot. In most cases, autism symptoms become visible around the age of 3.
Safe vaccine
Additional research that took place over an extensive period of time revealed that there are no significant differences among the rates of autism disorders among children, reinforcing previous studies that mentioned that there are no definite ties between flu shots and autism.
The information brings peace of mind to many potential mothers who want best for the child, and try to avoid anything that could lead to potential problems. However, online disinformation tends to decrease vaccination rates, exposing the future mother and baby to potential risks.
Flu and COVID-19
Flu shots remain the best way to avoid the virus during the upcoming flu season, and pregnant women should receive the shot to remain safe and protect themselves from a disease that is easy to contract and spread, despite the precaution taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Due to the pregnancy mothers already loose some of the pulmonary capacity, and flu can lead to unwelcome complications, especially since the immune system is weaker during the pregnancy. A flu shot can be administered during any trimester and will offer additional protection from the mother and the baby.
It is likely that the upcoming COVID-19 vaccines will also be safe for future mothers but the flu shot is safe and useful for now.