Flu season and living with HIV

October 2008     View PDF     En español

Concerns for pregnant women,
children and people over 50

Pregnant women
It’s important to prevent the flu during pregnancy, as it can last three times longer in pregnant women. Being pregnant can also increase your risk for getting other complications from the flu, such as pneumonia. However, catching a cold or the flu during pregnancy rarely causes birth defects.

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu shot, and by following the personal habits described in How do you prevent the flu?. The flu shot is safe to get while you’re pregnant, though it may be wise to get it before becoming pregnant since some women feel fatigue and muscle aches from the shot. The flu shot is also safe to get while you’re nursing. However, getting the nasal flu vaccine is not recommended as it’s a live virus and has not been tested in pregnant women.

Many flu and cold medicines have not been well studied in pregnant women. Some flu medicines to avoid during pregnancy include Tamiflu, Flumadine, Relenza or Symmetrel. These drugs may cause a small increase in the risk of birth defects. Taking aspirin may cause bleeding. Taking ibuprofen hasn’t been studied in pregnant women. Acetominophen is the recommended medicine for pain and fever. Women should check with their doctors before taking any over-the-counter or prescription medicine when they’re pregnant.

Children and people over 50
Flu shots are recommended for people 50 years of age and older. This helps protect from developing more serious symptoms as well as complications from the flu.

Both influenza type A and B have been linked to Reye’s Syndrome, a possibly fatal complication that usually affects children under 18. The risk for the condition is increased when taking aspirin. It’s strongly recommended that children should not take aspirin products during a viral illness like the flu or chickenpox.

Children under 6 months of age should not get the flu vaccine. Cough and cold medicines should not be given to children younger than two unless a doctor has said so. If your child’s doctor tells you to give a medicine, be sure to follow what he or she tells you to do.