Swine flu vaccine?

[Bathsheba]

I'm usually fairly cynical... but I had my H1N1 vaccination this morning. I feel that I made an educated choice. Though I agree, each to their own... if somebody feels intuitively bad about being vaccinated themselves then they should go with that. Personally I had a very persistent little voice in my head saying "get it!"... so I did. I have a chronic illness (Graves) and 2 kids in school which makes me a higher risk than the average person. With regard to the heavy metal mercury in the preservative: doesn't worry me but I'm not pregnant. Seeing the bigger picture the average person will absorb MUCH more heavy metal by driving their car in heavy traffic every day than via this vaccination. Do pregnant women stop driving in heavy traffic because of the unknown risks? Not usually. That is an incredibly toxic activity that most women choose to ignore... interesting. The number of pregnant women happy to drink Coke also astounds me. Are there conclusive tests as to what THAT does to your unborn baby?

I'm not trying to convince every pregnant women to have the H1N1 vaccination Just appealing for a bit of perspective. At the end of the day everyone is responsible for their own health and that of their child... and this does ultimately mean that everyone has to weigh the odds for themselves... keeping in mind the bigger picture.

[31becc]

Hi girls - I got the vaccine at the end of last week - on my doctors recommendation - I have rheumatoid arthiritis so apparently my immune system is a bit weaker than the usual person - only side effect I seem to have gotten was a slight sore throat but that has now gone. Am feeling movement still down there so I assume everything seems OK, but each to their own.

[Curly]

I just came on here to specifically ask about this!

I don't want to get it done at all - generally speaking I am pro-vaccination. But I don't believe in flu shots. Especially whilst pregnant. I even delayed DS's varicella vax until after my first trimester of pregnancy with DD, and I have had chicken pox, just to be safer.

DH is pushing me hard to get H1N1 vax, every time the ad comes on TV he says "see, you're in the higher risk category." I have fobbed him off by saying I'll get it done after the first trimester but I'll just keep my head down and hope he forgets about it.

Doesn't help that I made him get a whooping cough booster a few months ago along with me...it is mixed with tetanus and he stepped on a rusty nail the other week so he was very grateful he didn't have to go haring off to the GP for a tetanus booster. But I wasn't pregnant then!

Like Bathsheba says...I am trusting my gut on this one, and the gut says no.

[kawazuki]

we are giving it to all pregnant women,

we have seen no ill effects from this yet.

the literature (which si right infront of me)
pregnant wome: pregnant women should get the vaccine. pregnant women are more susceptible to complications of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus than the general population, putting both mother and baby at risk. some women who have caught this disease have misscarried or have gone into premature labour or have died. vaccination will protect both mother and baby. influenza vaccines are not "live" and is not a risk to unborn children.

it is a catagory B2 medication.
and due to it being new there is inconclusive information about risks, but so far it has been more beneficial to have the vaccine than to risk not having it

I had swine flu in my first trimester/ 2nd trimester it last 6 weeks, i have a cord defect in my baby they only have a 2 vessel cord not 3 and this cant be ruled out as a side effect from having the swine flu. also i am now at a higher risk or preterm labour as that is a risk of 2 vessel cord and also swine flu. it still isnt out of my system completely even after having tami flu.

[Lulu]

I just wanna know why it wasn't recommended in pregnancy and now it is.

[kawazuki]

all the literature i have recieved through public healtha nd teh government, has reccomended it for pregnant women.

tami flu and relenza which si the precaution medication and medication given post positive result wasnt recomended for pregnant women, but after further study they found it actually had less risks that letting the mother fight it without medication as the ones who recieved no medication or medication to late have had miss carraiges or pre term labour with ill effects, yet those who got teh medication in time have had minimal side effects.

[Muppity]

I just wanna know why it wasn't recommended in pregnancy and now it is.

Have I missed an announcement Lulu

The problem is that it hasn't been specifically tested for use in pregnant women. They are just assuming that it should be fine and they can't think of any reason why it wouldn't be and pregnant women as a group have had the most complications etc from the actual Swine flu so they think that it is worth whatever miniscule risk there may be when compared to the outcomes of those who caught it while pregnant.

[kawazuki]

their backing that it is fine is teh fact that it is NOT a "LIVE" vaccine so this means it contains no active part of the infection ( H1N1 influenza) but allows teh body to trick itself and produce antibodies against it. basically we are not injecting the virus into you but the chemical make up for teh antibodies.

and with studies done on other non activated vaccines they have show now ill effects on pregnant women. so the theory is if its not live its safe for use.

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.

[Miss.B]

Hi Sue,

I've been thinking about this vaccination as well. It is a personal choice, and although I get a flu shot every year (it's offered to everyone at work for free), my gut says no to the swine flue injection. I'm seeing a new GP (my old one retired) and she was being pushy about it, but I've contacted my OB and he said that swine flu is safe in pregnancy and unless I'm super stressed about it I should get it. He said we're out of the flu season anyway. So I'm going to give it a miss, and I feel better about making this choice. But like the other girls have said, each to their own and it is a personal choice.

Beata.

[NaeNae]

I have been pretty torn about this vaccine.

I have my flu shot every year regardless of whether or not I am pregnant because I am susceptible to bronchitis and have had several bouts of mild pneumonia following from Flu and Bronchitis. When I do have my vax I might get the sniffles but it never develops.

This one though I am not sure about. I am 4ish weeks from having bub so I may decided to have it after I have given birth but I am in two minds. If there is no live flu bugs just like the normal flu vaccine then I will not be as concerned.

Kawazuki - do you know if any anitbodies are transferable through BM??

Nae x x

[Muppity]

As far as I know all antibodies that the mother has are transferred to the baby through breastmilk. That is one of the reasons that BFing is so important, specially the colostrum stage.

[kawazuki]

as a general rule yes, but the quality and quantity are unknown and can not be used as a gaurentee for immunity aginst something, hence why children still need child hood immunisations even if breast fed.

this is still abit up in the air as they are saying children under 10 are not to recieve the vaccine.
so a bit contraindicative as to why pregnant women who will then flow on the immunity through breast feeding and placental transfer are ok but if a baby was born teh day before the release of the vaccine they recieve nothing nor to the children aged 0-9.

[kawazuki]

also something to note it can take up to 2 weeks for you to be immune and teh vaccineto actually work in your sysetm. and you are not gaurenteed full coverage for atleast 2 weeks, the only time you get immediate coverage is with a live vaccine.

so being 4 weeks from birth, its almost worth saying wait till after you have bub and then get it done. as you will only have a total of 2 weeks coverage whilst pregnant.

and the flu season is actually still in swing, and continues for a bit longer, especially in cooler climates. we haev had more people coem with with the flu in the last 3 weeks than in the "high" flu period.

[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).