Pregnancy during winter is a feat because you have to keep yourself and your unborn baby healthy during cold and flu season. If you already have a newborn or young baby, preventing RSV from overtaking your house is also essential for everyone's health and wellness.
Knowing what vaccines you need during pregnancy is essential in preventing severe illness for yourself and your baby. Lifestyle practices also keep you healthy all winter. Dr. Sindu Pillai provides prenatal, newborn, and sick visits to keep you and your family healthy year-round.
The respiratory syncytial virus is a prevalent virus that affects the respiratory tract and lungs. Although it's highly contagious, most adults and children only get mild symptoms. However, RSV can be life-threatening for young babies.
The symptoms of RSV are close to the common cold or flu. You can tell if your child has RSV by looking for the following symptoms:
According to the American Lung Association, 58,000 to 80,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized annually due to RSV. It's more dangerous to babies and children who have preexisting lung problems or who are immunocompromised.
You should consider your baby's health and wellness before they're born. Talking to Dr. Pillai about vaccines during pregnancy is a crucial aspect of prenatal care. Dr. Pillai recommends several vaccines during pregnancy to protect your child from dangerous illnesses after birth, and they include:
Whooping cough or pertussis can be life-threatening to newborn babies. According to the CDC, seven out of 10 whooping cough deaths are babies under the age of two months.
Receiving the whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy gives your unborn child antibodies against the disease when they're born. We recommend getting the vaccine between weeks 27 and 36 of every pregnancy.
Pregnant women are more likely to develop severe flu symptoms due to the body changes they experience. The flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your unborn baby from the dangers of the flu, even after birth.
The CDC recommends receiving the flu vaccine by the end of October for optimal protection over the winter months.
The absolute best way to prevent severe illness in your baby is to get the RSV vaccine during pregnancy. You should receive the RSV vaccine between weeks 32 and 36 from September through January. The vaccine gives the unborn baby antibodies that protect them during the first few months of life.
COVID-19 is still a big concern for pregnant women and babies. Your risk of severe illness from COVID-19 is heightened during pregnancy. Staying current on COVID-19 vaccines is crucial in preventing severe illness for you and your baby.
After you give birth, it's essential to take certain precautions to prevent RSV and other illnesses from making your baby sick. The first few months of life are the most dangerous for RSV because your baby's immune system is still developing.
Dr. Pillai offers several essential tips to keep you and your baby safe during RSV season, and they include:
Follow these tips to keep your baby healthy and prevent RSV, especially over the winter. If you suspect your child is sick with RSV or any other respiratory illness, come in for a check-up immediately.
Call our Murrieta, California, office today to schedule a sick visit or prenatal visit with Dr. Pillai, or request a consultation on the website.
