Swine flu vaccine?

[lou76]

I'm so glad to see there are so many other pregnant woman out there who are as unsure about this as I am!! I have asked my GP and OB and both said to give it a couple of weeks and then see, just to make sure there are no side effects.

I am an asthmatic and a teacher and have had the flu vacine in previous years, but I've never had it while pregnant. I know it is a very similar vaccine to the normal flu vaccine but I'm just not sure.

My DH keeps on telling me to have it, he says that the government are recommending it for pregnant woman so therefore it must be ok, but how many times do we question what the government say about things??

My next OB appointment is in 3 wks so I will wait till then and go on my OB recommendation. I think the next wave of it is due during the European winter, so we still have a little time before that really hits.

I completely understand that the risk of getting Swine flu is a very serious one and I definately want to take precautions to stay away from it, but I'm just not sure about this vaccine yet!!

Lou.

[FabFiona]

I will be getting it, probably tomorrow when I go to my OB.

[MummaSue]

Thanks for everyones input, it has been really useful to read what everyone has to say.

My concern isn't what it will do to my unborn baby now, it is possible damage that might come to light 10 or 20 years down the line. Kind of like the DES drug that was given to mothers for morning sickness. Look at the damage and controversy that caused.

I've never had a flu vaccination ever. I think I'm going to go with my gut on this one and just not get it.

Thanks again for your wonderful input.
Sue x

[JellyBean]

Unfortunately thimerosal (mercury) is not the only toxic heavy metal present in this vaccine. Some people are avoiding it for ethical reasons as it contains cell lines from an aborted feotus. Either way, for anyone who is interested in researching the ingredients of this vaccine before they decide whether or not to have it - the following list of ingredients will help you to make an informed choice. This list includes everything additional to the actual swine flu virus strain itself - which is obviously the whole purpose of the vaccine.
You reserve the right to know exactly what will be injected into yours and subsequently your baby's bloodstream.

aluminum hydroxide
aluminum phosphate
ammonium sulfate
amphotericin B
animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain,
dog kidney, monkey kidney,
chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg
calf (bovine) serum
betapropiolactone
fetal bovine serum
formaldehyde
formalin
gelatin
glycerol
human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue)
hydrolized gelatin
monosodium glutamate (MSG)
neomycin
neomycin sulfate
phenol red indicator
phenoxyethanol (antifreeze)
potassium diphosphate
potassium monophosphate
polymyxin B
polysorbate 20
polysorbate 80
porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein
residual MRC5 proteins
sorbitol
sucrose
thimerosal (mercury)
tri(n)butylphosphate,
VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells
washed sheep red blood cells

[Just Me]

I had swine flu when I was about 32 weeks pg with DD2 and it is not fun. I don't have to worry about having the vaccine now because my doctor said if I've had it, I've had it and don't need a shot.

If you are pregnant and not going to have the shot, I would give the following advice - as soon as you have a temp of 38 degrees or higher and any flu like symptoms (the high temp is the biggest indicator though), see your doctor. They can put you on Tamiflu which did minimise the symptoms for me. If you wait a few days after the symptoms start, they can't put you on Tamiflu.

I went on Tamiflu while I had swine flu and it wasn't an easy choice because it's risks are unknown, but I was aware of the risk of leaving my swine flu untreated by the number of pregnant women in ICU in the Townsville hospital (my mum is a nurse there and also it was all over the news at the time). I gave birth to a healthy full term baby despite other complications in my pg unrelated to swine flu or tamiflu.

Townsville had more than half of Queensland's cases of swine flu and there were a number of women who lost babies or babies became brain damaged because they contracted it while pregnant. There were also a number of non-pregnant people who died in Townsville because of swine flu or complications following swine flu (such a pnuemonia). All of these cases were because they did not seek medical advice early on and waited until they were very very sick.

It is a serious illness and I do think you need to decide what you are comfortable with. I don't know that I would be comfortable with the vaccine while pregnant either, but be aware of the symptoms and if you show any signs, see a doctor immediately.

As a side note, my DH was also sick with the same symptoms as me, except much much worse couldn't get tamiflu (which is why I suspect it was worse) and couldn't get swabbed so didn't have official confirmation that he had swine flu, had his vaccine last week as a precautionary thing. He is normally healthy, with no allergies so there is very little risk factor of him having a reaction to it. He has had no side affects and despite the rest of us having a horrendous head cold this week, he remains completely well.

Having had swine flu, if I wasn't pregnant and couldn't access tamiflu, I would most likely have the vaccine because the illness is attrocious and having to fight it without taking anything was awful for both my DH and my two children (who also got it - most likely from us - and despite being babies, did not fall into a risk category and could not have tamiflu either).

[Lulu]

Bleeuuurrgh Jellybean!

Just coming in to confirm there is NO announcement coming Muppity my friend

[kawazuki]

the statistics of reactions are very interesting aswell.
the largest statistic was 25.8% of people trialed with this vaccine got a head ache. that was the biggest percentage of all.

also those ingredients arent the same as the ones listed on teh product disclosure statement we got at work with a listing of the ingredients and amounts etc.
also there is no thimerosol in teh single dose syringe. its only used in teh multi dose vial becuas eit needs to maintain equality of distribution of ingredients in teh multidose vial.

so if your concerned about it they can order in 10 single dose syringes, it is not totally out of teh question.

[willow5]

Ooohhhh but here is another really good AUSSIE article from the Age newspaper with a myth busting theme.

Swine flu vaccine myths 'busted' by experts

It suggests that Swine Flu won't hit our shores till Feb next year. Will we be ok till then?

S X

this vaccine shouldnt be given to people with an allergy to egg as it is made on a product which is based on chicken protein or has had an anaphylactic hypersensitivity to previous vaccine.

Kawasuki the link in Sue1979"S post shows a statement that the vax is ok for people with egg allergies as most of them are mild??
I'd always heard you shouldn't have it if you had egg allergies, this is the kind of conflicting info that makes me wonder...who do we believe??...If the experts can't agree how are we supposed to make our decisions with the conflicting information? Very frustrating.

[LimeSlice]

The pamphlet (read propaganda) I got from the doctors office yesterday makes mention that is is NOT safe for people with egg allergies

[Just Me]

When you have the vaccine, you have to fill out a form and one of the items on the declaration is that you don't have an egg allergy. This form has to be completed and signed before they will give you the vaccine. If I read literature stating otherwise, I would seriously question the validity and creibility of the literature and the author.

ETA: Just had quick read of the article and there are a number of 'myths' listed there that are on the form to sign to say that you have been informed of the risk including the one about paralysis.

[Bathsheba]

Yes but cake is dangerous for some people with egg allergies I don't get why people are more suspicious of a vaccine than the foods they buy off the supermarket shelf. I really don't think there is a hidden agenda here. I also don't get the comparison with Thalydimide... sure medical professionals will never know how everything affects everyone but I do believe them when they say they have seen more deaths (due to contracting the virus) than birth defects from the H1N1 vaccine. At one stage there were half a dozen pregnant women on life support (due to having contracted H1N1) in one Sydney hospital alone the last time it swept through. BUT I still believe that all of us need to weight up our individual intuitive response to this. I agree it is not for everyone. But I suspect it is safe for the majority.