With the right steps, you can protect yourself and your family from the flu and COVID

If you’re worried about the flu and COVID, you aren’t alone. After all, flu season is approaching while we’re still facing the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. However, there’s no need to panic, even if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. Taking a few preventive actions now can help you and your family stay safe this year. Our San Antonio fertility doctor provides some tips.

When it comes to the flu and COVID, the flu shot is more important than ever before

We might not have a COVID vaccine yet, but the flu shot is readily available. If you get this shot every year, you know how important it is. However, if you’ve avoided this vaccine in the past, now is the year to get it, especially if you’re expecting or hope to be soon.

Pregnant women are much more likely to experience severe flu complications and require hospitalization. Additionally, having a fever while sick with the flu can harm your baby, causing issues like neural tube defects. Simply by getting the flu vaccine, you can significantly reduce your risk of catching the flu and experiencing these problems.

If you’re worried about getting the flu shot during pregnancy, you can put your mind at ease. Millions of pregnant women have safely received the flu shot. Additionally, extensive studies show that this vaccine is safe for expectant moms and their unborn babies.

For the best results with your flu shot, the CDC recommends getting it in September or October. This timing will protect you during the early months of flu season, while still being effective during those later months when the flu can peak.

To stay safe from COVID during flu season, our San Antonio fertility doctor echoes the advice from organizations like the CDC. This includes washing your hands, avoiding those who feel sick, wearing a mask in public and maintaining six feet of distance between you and others. It turns out that all these actions can also help protect against the flu.

COVID and pregnancy: What are the risks?

At first, many people didn’t think pregnant women had more-severe complications of COVID. However, new research suggests this isn’t true. A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) study from the CDC suggests hospitalizations and ICU admissions are more common among pregnant women with COVID. While researchers dive deeper into this topic, our San Antonio fertility doctor recommends that pregnant women take special effort to avoid COVID.

If you want to know more about the flu and COVID, including how they impact expectant mothers and women who are trying to conceive, contact us to schedule an appointment. Our team has the knowledge to keep you safe during flu season and beyond.