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Pregnant women with previous illnesses should be vaccinated from the second trimester, all others should be vaccinated as early as the first trimester
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Milos Jokic / Getty Images
When women are expecting a child, their immune systems are reduced a little.
This protects against the body classifying the embryo as foreign and attacking it.
At the same time, however, it makes the expectant mother more susceptible to infections.
Some pathogens, which would otherwise mainly cause unpleasant symptoms in women of their age, become a danger as a result.
This also includes the flu virus.
According to experts, this autumn it is particularly important for pregnant women to get vaccinated against the flu. After the flu epidemic last season, more sick people can be expected again this year, says Cornelia Hösemann from the board of directors of the professional association of gynecologists. “Because the immune system has to be trained again first. In addition, with 2G or 3G regulations, the obligation to wear the mask is no longer necessary, so that infections that are spread via droplets will generally occur more again. "
According to the doctor, pregnant women are particularly at risk if they become infected with certain pathogens: "A real influenza during pregnancy can be life-threatening," says Hösemann, who is also a member of the Saxon Vaccination Commission (Siko).
The professional association of gynecologists also warns of possible stronger fever attacks and more severe pneumonia caused by the flu virus as well as admission to hospital and intensive care.
In the case of severe febrile infections, the risk of premature labor and premature birth generally increases, it is said.
Now is a good time to vaccinate
The flu wave usually doesn't start until after the turn of the year in January.
If possible, vaccinations should be given in October or November.
This gives the body enough time to build up protection.
In addition, the risk of infections increases even before the onset of the flu epidemic.
The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) recommends women with chronic pre-existing conditions such as asthma or diabetes to be vaccinated as early as the first trimester of pregnancy.
Women without a pre-existing condition are not recommended to have the vaccination until the second trimester - a purely precautionary measure, as Hösemann says.
Hösemann reports that her practice in Großpösna near Leipzig has been vaccinated against flu since the end of September. In some cases, pregnant women would also receive the spades against Covid-19 if they had not received it earlier. Since mid-September, Stiko has recommended that all pregnant women who have not been vaccinated or not fully vaccinated against corona should be immunized with an mRNA vaccine. The Saxon Vaccination Commission had already spoken out in favor of this step in May.
According to the earlier vaccination recommendation in Saxony, women who wanted to be vaccinated also drove to their practice from other federal states, says Hösemann.
She is now receiving baby photos and thank you letters from these women.
In some other countries such as Israel and the USA, pregnant women were able to get immunized even earlier - while many doctors in Germany decided against it without recommending Stiko.
Corona vaccination: taking away uncertainties
Despite the now great experience with the corona vaccination, Hösemann often realizes that women are still unsure or misinformed.
If a woman has not been vaccinated, the doctor asks why.
»About half of the pregnant women in our practice had already been vaccinated against Covid-19, the other half had planned the pregnancy and therefore did not have the vaccination done for the time being.
This waiting would of course not have been necessary. "
Hösemann emphasizes that there is no need to worry about the mRNA vaccine.
Many women would have heard from somewhere that the vaccination allegedly makes sterile (read here why this fear is unfounded).
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) now also explains on its website why these claims are false.
Some people also believed that vaccinations during pregnancy are generally harmful to the unborn child, said Hösemann.
In fact, live vaccines such as measles, mumps and rubella should not be given during pregnancy.
In the case of so-called dead vaccines, however, which contain killed, non-reproductive pathogens or even only certain components of the pathogen, there are no concerns.
The vaccination reactions are low, said the doctor.
»Vaccination during pregnancy is not fundamentally dangerous.
Some vaccinations should definitely be done after consultation. "
The reason for the increased risk of pregnant women with diseases such as flu, whooping cough and Covid-19 is primarily the immune system, explains Hösemann.
It is throttled, otherwise it would be directed against the unborn child.
The mother's oxygen intake is also vital for the child.
If the pregnant woman's breathing is impaired by a lung disease, this also harms the child.
Another important argument in favor of vaccinations during pregnancy is that the antibodies are passed on to the child via the placenta.
As a result, the newborns have so-called nest protection in the first six months after birth.
Breastfeeding also helps.
irb / dpa