( CNN ) -- An Arkansas woman , who lost her baby last month after coming down with the H1N1 flu virus , has now lost her life . Leslie Creekmore , 29 , had been hospitalized for the last month . She was put on a ventilator January 13 , before being rushed to a St. Louis hospital a day later . Creekmore spontaneously miscarried on January 16 . She was 20 weeks pregnant . `` She 's gone now , and the universe itself is lesser for the loss , '' her husband Chris Creekmore said in a post to the Facebook group `` Love for Leslie . '' `` I loved her with every iota of my being and beyond , and I have no intention of that changing just because she is n't here with me corporeally . '' On the advice of their doctor , the couple said they postponed getting a flu shot until after Creekmore 's first trimester . The couple did not know that his guidance was counter to federal health recommendations . Creekmore had planned to get a flu shot at a clinic on January 13 -- the same day she was put on a ventilator . CDC recommendation . Any pregnant woman should get a flu shot to protect against serious complications as soon as the yearly vaccine becomes available in her area , advises the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website flu.gov . Women can receive the flu shot at any point during their pregnancies , regardless of trimester , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the CDC recommendation that all women get vaccinated if they will be pregnant during the influenza season : `` Vaccination early in the season and regardless of gestational age is optimal , '' ACOG says . No harm has been demonstrated to pregnant women or their babies as a result of the vaccine , the CDC said . The flu vaccine protects against many strains during the season from October to March . Pregnant women who receive the vaccine may still get the flu , but it would likely be a milder illness than otherwise , and severe consequences would be improbable , Gray-Swain said . A national effort to prevent the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu has contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of pregnant women who receive flu vaccines , according to the CDC . Less than 15 % of pregnant women received a flu shot before 2009 ; in the next two seasons , more than half of pregnant women got the vaccine protection . The risks of not getting a flu shot . The flu may increase the risk of miscarriage , premature birth and low birth weight , the CDC said . `` Pregnancy puts extra stress on your heart and lungs . Pregnancy can also affect your immune system . These factors increase the risk of becoming severely ill due to the flu , '' according to the CDC website . Life-threatening developments like Creekmore 's in flu patients are generally rare but not unheard of , Gray-Swain said . `` Pregnant women are five times more likely to end up in the ICU or have severe complications related to the flu than non-pregnant women who get infected with the flu , '' she said . The flu vaccine that is safe for pregnant woman is in injectable form , and it does not contain the live virus , Gray-Swain said . The nasal spray versions should not be given to pregnant women . If you are pregnant , inform the health care staff administering the vaccine before you receive it . Washing your hands after using the bathroom , touching public surfaces and other activities is also important , she said . Pregnant women can also take a drug called Tamiflu . It is most commonly taken to reduce the length of symptoms , but it is also given to people with high-risk flu exposure as a prevention .
She recommends all pregnant women get flu shots . Does n't matter what trimester of pregnancy , flu shot is safe . She 's husband said she was going to get a flu shot .