Infants born to mothers who had grabbed their influenza jab during pregnancy are around 45 to 48% less likely to be hospitalized with the virus, suggested a recent study.

While referring to figures, the lead study author, Dr. Katherine Poehling, who is a Pediatrics Professor at Wake Forest Baptist Health Center in North Carolina, notified that about twice infant hospitalizations accounts for mothers who did not receive the flu vaccine during pregnancy. Further, she explained the logic behind and said that fetus avails antibodies from mother through placenta.

“Not only do mothers benefit from the protection offered by the vaccine, but you’re also going to protect your child”, added Dr. Katherine Poehling. “We all get maternal antibodies when we’re born but they disappear within the first six months of life. So the recommendation is if you can possibly get the influenza vaccine when you’re pregnant, you should”.

During the research, Poehling in collaboration with researchers at the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vanderbilt University and the University of Rochester have analyzed medical data of 1,510 babies.

Additionally, there is no licensed flu vaccine for children under six months therefore it is suggested that mothers get vaccination, during their pregnancy.