About influenza
Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Influenza can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications, including pneumonia and heart and other organ damage.
Getting vaccinated
Changes to your immune, heart and lung functions during pregnancy make you more vulnerable to severe illness from influenza. Even healthy women with an uncomplicated pregnancy can develop life-threatening influenza. Other complications can include premature labour or stillbirth.
Getting vaccinated every year protects you against new strains of the virus and reduces the risk of spreading influenza to your baby.
For young babies, influenza infection can cause pneumonia and can even lead to death.
Babies under six months of age are more likely to be hospitalised with influenza than any other age group.
Babies of mothers who receive an influenza vaccine during pregnancy are much less likely to have confirmed influenza infection in the first 6 months of life and end up in hospital. The vaccine is recommended anytime during pregnancy.
Babies cannot be vaccinated against influenza until they are 6 months old. This means getting vaccinated while pregnant can help protect your baby.
How the vaccine works during pregnancy
The vaccine helps your body develop antibodies, which teach your body to fight off influenza.
Getting vaccinated against influenza during pregnancy allows protective antibodies to pass through the placenta to your baby. This protects them in their first few months of life when they are most vulnerable and too young to be vaccinated themselves.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women can safely get the influenza vaccine.
If you received last year’s seasonal influenza vaccine early in your pregnancy, it is recommended you receive the current seasonal influenza vaccine (when it becomes available) later in the same pregnancy. If you received a vaccine before becoming pregnant you should be revaccinated during pregnancy to protect your unborn baby. The vaccine is recommended anytime during pregnancy.
Where to get vaccinated
Free maternal influenza vaccines through the NIP are available from a range of health professionals and health services including GPs, community health clinics and participating pharmacies in some states. Not all vaccination providers have all the free NIP vaccines.
Check with your vaccination provider about whether they have the free NIP influenza vaccine so you can book in for an appointment. Some health professionals or health services may charge a consultation or service fee.