There are issues with the flu vaccine. For one, it is recommended for pregnant women despite the fact that there has yet to be a single, randomized, placebo-controlled study showing that the vaccine is safe for pregnant women.

Researchers did, however, study whether there was a link between women who received a flu vaccine and risk of miscarriages. Pregnant women vaccinated in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 flu seasons had twice the risk of miscarriage within 28 days of receiving the vaccine. And compared to women who did not receive a flu shot during their pregnancy, there was 7.7 times higher risk of miscarriage in women who received the H1N1 flu vaccine in the prior season.

Other studies have found adverse effects from the flu vaccine being given to pregnant women, including an increased risk of birth defects.

Vaccines work by initiating an inflammatory response in the body. That is what stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against an antigen.

When I was trained in obstetrics, I was taught not to prescribe any therapy (or at least to err on the side of caution) to a pregnant woman if there was a chance of adverse effects on either the mother or the fetus.

The last thing anyone should be doing to a pregnant woman is intentionally stimulating inflammation in her body.