Flu Vaccine Protects Pregnant Women and Babies

Pregnant women and babies face heightened flu risk, so vaccination is the first step as New York cases climb this season.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Pregnancy

Flu Vaccine Protects Pregnant Women and Babies

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Do you plan to get a flu vaccine this season?

Approximately 4,000 people in New York currently have the flu and about 2,300 have covid, according to recent reporting. Pregnant women and young children are among those facing greater risk from flu because of their weaker immune systems.

Why it matters

Pregnant women and children are more vulnerable to flu, which makes vaccination and early precautions a central concern for families in New York as case counts climb. Flu and covid case numbers are expected to continue rising.

The figures come from current case reporting in New York, with approximately 4,000 flu cases and 2,300 covid cases reported. The source does not give a prior-period comparison or a timeline for the projected increase.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The U.S. federal agency that sets national vaccination recommendations and tracks infectious disease, including its guidance on flu vaccination during pregnancy.

The details

Pregnant women and young children have weaker immune systems, which leaves them more exposed to flu's effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu vaccination during any trimester of pregnancy, and decades of research support its safety at every stage. A flu vaccine does not affect the ability to breastfeed, and antibodies it helps generate can be passed to a baby through breast milk.

Women's Health Wednesday segment on flu precautions published November 4, 2026
Babies under six months of age cannot be vaccinated against flu

Health Landscape

The CDC recommends flu vaccination during any trimester of pregnancy, a position backed by decades of research on its safety. Current New York case counts place that longstanding guidance in a timely context as seasonal illness rises.

If you are pregnant or caring for a young child, the flu vaccine is recommended during pregnancy and can help protect infants through antibodies passed in breast milk. It is worth discussing timing and vaccination with your doctor, since babies under six months cannot receive the vaccine themselves.

The takeaway

Vaccination remains the first and most important step against flu for pregnant women and young children. Ask your doctor about flu vaccination during pregnancy and how to protect babies too young to be vaccinated.