Pregnant but had flushot!

[coffeegal]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I have just found out I am pregnancy with #2. I'm 5 wks due 23/12. Scary and excited. I feel worried because I had a flushot around the time of conception. I do remember saying to the Doctor I was trying to get pregnant but I wasn't pregnant at that time and he said it was fine. Which I guess he would given I said I wasn't pregnant.

But I have since found out I'm pregnant and cant recall the exact date of the flushot but conception would of happened at or around the time of it. I'm so worried because everything I have Googled indicates you can get it when pregnant but in 2nd and 3rd trimester. I'm due to go back to my Doctor next week and will ask her about it, but in the meantime I feel terrible. I have a history of m/c and things didn't go smoothly with my DD in 1st trimester so I am worried.

[MamaPan]

you poor thing - worst of all is the worry i think!
I had the flu shot with my last preg but i was in 2nd tri... it is probably ok esp as was so early and you have still conceived... but ask your dr. maybe even just give them a call to put your mind at ease?
hope all goes well for you.

[coffeegal]

I cant call. It is like a bulk bill clinic and the doctors dont take calls I dont think. She isn't there until next week anyway.

I just found this Doctors recommend flu vaccine for ?at risk? groups - AMA Victoria
and right at the bottom it says if you will be in your 2nd/3rd trimester during the flu season you SHOULD have the flushot, even if you are in your 1st trimester. So maybe not so bad but if I had known I wouldn't of had it just to be sure.

Lots of contradictory information around.

[coffeegal]

I cant call. It is like a bulk bill clinic and the doctors dont take calls I dont think. She isn't there until next week anyway.

I just found this Doctors recommend flu vaccine for ?at risk? groups - AMA Victoria
and right at the bottom it says if you will be in your 2nd/3rd trimester during the flu season you SHOULD have the flushot, even if you are in your 1st trimester. So maybe not so bad but if I had known I wouldn't of had it just to be sure.

Lots of contradictory information around.

[tellytubby]

coffee gal

Try not to stress too much about it! Stress can only make things worse - although i know its easier said than done.. I'm sure everything will be fine. Think positive!
Is it possible to get in to see you GP earlier??
I feel if it was that bad for the baby you wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place, especially if the baby was concieved around the same time you got the flushot. Sounds like you've got a tough little cookie in there!

Good luck hun, sending you lots and lots of stickyvibes!!

[Novella]

Congratulations on your pregnancy I was 8 weeks pg with dd2 when work was offering the flu vaccine. They assured me it was safe to have (although I declined).The national immunisation hotline number is 1800 671 811. Otherwise speak to your gp. Good luck hun

[DaintreeDream]

I am approx 4 weeks pregnant and when I was at the doctors a couple of days ago, confirming the pregnancy they suggested it was in mine and my babies best interests to get the flu shot and that it was better to get it than not to get it (this said they recommended it even knowing I had a miscarriage last month).

I did not get it done, but that was my own personal decision.

Do not stress, I am sure it is just fine .

[coffeegal]

thank you everyone. I think I have a delay in my messages showing I am being moderated I think. Thanks for all the reassuring thoughts. I never thought to ring the hotline I might give them a call.

[angelaartsstudent]

As someone who has the flu at the moment I'm sure you'll be great and avoind ending up like me in your 3rd tri :-)

[kawazuki]

there is no advers effects on babies if the mother has tehf lu shot.
also your doc will haev it on his computer as to when it was given. if you are concerned call and ask..

i had my flu shot and my boostrix about 8 days after i concieved and im not worried.
i am vaccinated against whooping cough adn now dont need to worry when bubs is born..

[mummy of many]

Hi, I had a flu shot done with my last pg too,as I didn`t know I was exspecting,I was 7 weeks,but I told my GP,but he said all was good.....I wouln`t stress....everythinh turned out ok, Hugs!

[La pachamama]

Flu shots are not recommended for pregnant women in their first trimester. From the Govt website

Immunise - 2.3.2 Vaccination of women planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and preterm infants

(ii) Pregnancy

Although the use of most vaccines during pregnancy is not usually recommended on precautionary grounds, there is no convincing evidence that pregnancy should be an absolute contraindication to the use of any vaccine, particularly inactivated vaccines. The only exception is vaccinia virus (smallpox vaccination), which has been shown to cause fetal malformation. There is some evidence, however, that fever per se is teratogenic.1,2 With the exception of the use of influenza vaccine, the NHMRC takes the conservative position that the use of vaccines during pregnancy might cause fever and should be avoided other than in situations of increased risk, where the benefits of protection from vaccination outweigh the risks. Eliminating the risk of exposure to vaccine-preventable diseases during pregnancy (eg. by changing travel plans, avoiding high-risk behaviours or occupational exposures) is an alternative to vaccination.

Live attenuated vaccines are contraindicated for pregnant women because of the hypothetical risk of harm to the fetus should transmission occur. If a live attenuated vaccine is inadvertently given to a pregnant woman, or if a woman becomes pregnant within 4 weeks of vaccination, she should be counselled about the potential transmission, albeit extremely unlikely, to the fetus. There is, however, no indication to consider termination of a pregnancy in this situation. The following table may be used as a guide to the recommended use of vaccinations in pregnancy. Information regarding pregnancy status in women of reproductive age should be part of the routine pre-vaccination screening checklist (see Section 1.3.4, Pre-vaccination screening).

-----They're giving free flu shots at work, but they warn you that pregnant women in their first trimester should not have the vaccination.

[coffeegal]

But it says with the exception of the Influenza and also down the bottom of that link....

Influenza vaccine: Recommended for all pregnant women who will be in the second or third trimester during the influenza season, including those in the first trimester at the time of vaccination

It also says the same on the Medical Assc. web site too. So I feel better about that. Doctors recommend flu vaccine for ?at risk? groups - Australian Medical Association Victoria, Australia (last point right down bottom)

So I read that to mean if you are going to be pregnant IN the flu season, you should have the flu vax EVEN if you are in your 1st trimester. Is that how others undersatnd it?

[coffeegal]

some of my messages aren't coming through. I'm sure it will catch up when the moderator approves them. Maybe it's because I included a link. Anyway I wont be around over the weekend so I'll catch up with the thread next week. Many thanks all. I'm still not sure but what's done is done. I checked my receipt for the chemist and I had the shot 24 hours after conception (know the date of that)