The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all pregnant women get the flu shot (the nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women) to protect them from the virus.

CNN: Flu vaccine poses no risk to unborn

She has a teenage daughter from a previous relationship, but suffers from fertility problems because of a medical condition, so could not become pregnant naturally.

BBC: NEWS | Health | Woman 'cannot use IVF embryos'

Critically, it neglected to check whether thalidomide affected pregnant women, assuming that its molecules could not cross the placenta from mother to child.

ECONOMIST: Thalidomide