A pregnant employee has not received influenza vaccine in 18 months. Which type of influenza vaccine should be recommended?

• A. Inactivated influenza vaccine
• B. Live attenuated influenza vaccine
• C. Subunit influenza vaccine
• D. Toxoid influenza vaccine

Answer: (A)

During pregnancy, vaccines are chosen to protect both mother and fetus while avoiding any potential risk from the vaccine itself. For influenza, the safe and appropriate option is the inactivated influenza vaccine, given by injection. This non-live vaccine stimulates antibody production without introducing an actual infection, which is important because live vaccines are generally avoided in pregnancy due to theoretical risks to the developing fetus. The nasal spray form uses a live attenuated virus and is not recommended during pregnancy. The toxoid option isn’t applicable to influenza, and while some influenza vaccines can be subunit, the standard guidance for a pregnant patient is to use the inactivated injectable form to ensure safety and effectiveness.