Simone Skeete Adair is expecting baby number four.
"It's a boy. I'm six months right now," said Adair.
She said an important part of her pregnancy is staying healthy, especially during flu season.
"After losing a friend of mine to the flu, I don't take it lightly about not getting the flu shot," said Adair.
We reached out to Dr. Ernesto Malave, a family practice doctor in Killeen, and he agrees the flu shot is important, especially for moms-to-be like Adair.
"We need to immunize our community especially elderly 65 and above, chronic illness and pregnancies," said Malave with Killeen Wellness and Aesthetics.
"I've, in the previous years, have gotten vaccinated myself and this year I keep trying to get vaccinated and I just forget," said Adair.
A recent study in the Birth Defects Research journal found that pregnant women with the flu who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit are more likely to deliver babies prematurely and also more likely to have a baby of low birth weight.
"These patients have a problem keeping food down. So, they're going to get dehydrated. They're not going to be able to eat enough for her and the baby," said Malave.
Adair said while she has not gotten the flu shot yet, it is at the top of her list.
"I just got to remember to get it when I go in my doctor's office," said Adair.
"If you haven't had the flu shot, you still can get it," said Malave.
Right now, flu cases are spiking in the Bell and McLennan County areas, but they are still below last year's severe flu season.
For more information on how the flu is impacting your area, the Bell County and McLennan County health districts post flu activity reports on their websites.
Copyright 2019 KXXV. All rights reserved.
