CDC Study: Pregnant Women at Increased Risk for Severe Flu Outcomes

A new CDC study published on December 28, 2021 in Annals of Internal Medicine showed that across nine flu seasons from 2010-2011 through 2018-2019, about one-third of women of reproductive age (15-44 years old) who were hospitalized with flu were pregnant. Flu is especially dangerous for pregnant people because changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy (and up to two weeks after delivery) can make people more vulnerable to flu and its potentially severe complications. CDC recommends that pregnant people get vaccinated, but also that they be treated quickly with antiviral drugs if they get flu symptoms.