Advice about flu vaccinations during pregnancy could be added to the pharma labels of inoculation drugs after the results of a study were published this week.

Scientists at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in the US studied influenza rates in expectant mothers and babies, some of whom had received vaccinations while others had not.

It was found that children born to mothers who did have the vaccine were almost 50 per cent less likely to need hospital treatment for flu in their first six months of life than youngsters born to women who had not had the injection.

This is significant because current vaccines are not available to children aged six months or younger, even though they are most likely to be hospitalised as a result of flu.

Dr Katherine A Poehling, lead author of the study, said: "Receiving the influenza vaccine during pregnancy not only protects the mother, but also protects the baby in the early months of life."

Last month, figures from the Health Protection Agency showed that winter 2010-11 saw higher cases of seasonal flu activity than 2009-10 in the UK.

Denny Bros Ltd, 23 June 2011