Tough decision, but just because the CDC and your doc's recommend something doesn't mean it's safe. The vaccine companies lobby in Washington DC to get the their vaccine's put on the "required" vaccine protocol list. There is a lot of politics and money behind it all.
The FDA also approved DES, Phen Phen, Vioxx, etc. Just between the time I had my first and fourth child they recalled the rotovirus vaccine because it was causing intussusception and they switched the polio vaccine from an oral one to an injection again, because kids were getting polio from the vaccine. Never in history has the flu shot been given to mass amount of pregnant women and small children. It may be perfectly fine, but we really don't know. When a few of us asked one of the high risk obstetricians that we work with about the possible effects of mass vaccinating all of these pregnant women, his response was..."I guess we'll know in about 5 years what problems it may cause."
I never get flu shots, and usually won't take medicine unless it is absolutly necessary. I just don't trust something that is so new and could have serious side effects. Just my opinion.
I am a nurse, and I work in a newborn intensive care unit at a children's hospital.
I was on the fence for weeks as to whether or not to get the H1N1 shot. I stopped getting the regular flu shot a couple of years ago because I haven't had the flu since I was in high school. I wondered about the safety of the H1N1 shot itself. I am neither pro- nor anti- vaccine, I just want to do the best I can and not do more than I need to for myself. I researched through all the BS that's out there and discovered a few things:
This shot is no more dangerous than a regular flu shot as it is created the exact same way. The thing that's new is the more virulent virus.These so-called "side effects" you've been hearing about in the news... well the chances that these people would have come down with these things anyway are WAY better than the chances that they are from the flu shot!! And that stuff that happened in the 70's... HELLO that was 30 years ago!
People are getting much sicker with this flu than the regular flu because of its virulence. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable and the ones that are getting it are getting incredibly sick and some are needing intensive care.
Our children's hospital is considering accepting pregnant women with H1N1 for life-saving measures that they can't get anywhere else.
All the flu out there IS the swine flu. No one is getting the regular flu! Not everyone is getting deathly ill but there are those that are at much higher risk than others. Children top the list of high risk of significant illness. Pregnancy puts you next. Especially if you are pregnant AND have asthma or allergies that can lead to breathing difficulties.
Because of all this, I chose to get the H1N1 shot and decline the regular flut shot. And this was BEFORE I knew I was pregnant!
Please please do the research for YOURSELF, doctors don't know everything and are often biased for many reasons that you can't even imagine. And a lot of the media is full of things that aren't terribly accurate and do nothing but scare you. Check the CDC website (www.cdc.gov) to see how bad it has really gotten. And it's still early in the season! I decided to get the shot for the babies I work for and the children I'm around because of the particular virulence of this. And now I'm glad I did because of my pregnancy. If you don't get it and end up getting sick while you're pregnant you're really going to regret it, and if not no skin off your teeth. And BTW, Tamiflu is turning out not to be as effective as we would like it to be on this novel virus, so don't rely on DRUGS to get you out of something you could have easily prevented in the first place.
AND did you know it's only effective if you get it within 48 hours of the FIRST appearance of symptoms!?!
I'm not telling you to get it. I'm not telling you to not get it. I'm telling you to do the research for yourself and weigh the risks and benefits for you, your baby, and your children. I have seen many children die from this flu first hand. What is the real reason you're not getting it? Because of what you heard on the news? You trust the news? Why would anyone get a vaccine for a flu that no one has but decline the one that people DO have? That doesn't make any sense when they are made the exact same way. Please just consider the REAL consequences of getting or not getting it and make an educated decision whether you want to take the risk of getting the flu or not. You can get vaccines without additives. You can get vaccines without thimerosol. You just have to care enough to find them!!
Take care of yourself and your baby whatever you decide.
Please don't get it. I am not exposing my innocent child to those harmful chemicals that probably aren't going to protect me anyway. There is absolutely NO evidence (I repeat NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER) this vaccine has been tested and proven even remotely safe for your unborn child. All you have is the reassurance of the CDC itsellf saying the vaccine is made "in the exact same way" as the "safe" regular flu vaccine. That's like saying if I make cyanide in the same way, same kitchen and same pot I made "safe" spaghetti in, you're ok to eat it. Trials on pregnant women have only just begun, and we won't know if it's safe for unborn babies until the babies are actually born - and truly not until years down the road.
Besides, no vaccine is 100%, and several women on here who have gotten the vaccine got sick anyway! My OB said she could not recommend it for all of these reasons, and I trust her 110%. Wash your hands frequently, use common sense, and you'll be fine. If you start getting sick, check your temp regularly and head to the doctor if you start a fever. Same thing with congestion.
Remember, the chances of you getting the H1N1 are pretty low anyway, chances even lower yet that you'd need any kind of serious treatment for it, and chances even lower yet you'd need to be hospitalized, and chances even lower yet you'd actually die from it. You're WAY, WAY, WAY more likely to hurt yourself or your baby in a car accident than have serious complications from the flu, or die from the flu, IF (that's a big IF) you even contracted the flu! No one is recommending women stay out of cars!
You're making the right decision - promise. Think about if injecting your innocent baby with untested, unproven chemicals that may not protect you anyway is wise. Trust your gut!
Hah, funny thing happened to me. I got vaccinated with the H1N1 shot one Saturday and by the following Sunday I was in the hospital with complications from having ... drum roll please ... H1N1!!! Soooo ... I'm skeptical of it's affectiveness.
I'm not getting it. I heard straight from a doctor when the vaccination came out that because there is a new strain in it, they are still in the testing stages on pregnant women. The testing will be done in JULY 2010!! I'll have my baby before they are done testing. My baby is not going to be a guinea pig, no thank you.
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No vaccine is 100% effective, but it's pretty damn close. For the girl who got the shot and then got H1NI - the virus can have up to a two week incubation period. So, if you were exposed prior to getting the shot, there is not much the vaccine can do. I can understand why people think that they got the flu from the vaccine, but that is simply impossible. It is an inactivated form of the virus. Rather, were already exposed to the flu when they got the shot in the first place.
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You don't know that though, that's what you're assuming. Nobody anywhere has said "This vaccine is almost 100% effective." You may very well be right, but the fact that they haven't done the studies proving the effectiveness of it seems wrong and scientifically unsound when we're talking about vaccinating a lot of people for a lot of money.
Yes, I do know that. And they have done studies - on the flu vaccine, period. H1N1 is simply a strain of the flu. The flu vaccine changes EVERY YEAR, because the flu mutates every year.
I'm not going to convince you, and that's fine. But don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.
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You don't know that though, that's what you're assuming. Nobody anywhere has said "This vaccine is almost 100% effective." You may very well be right, but the fact that they haven't done the studies proving the effectiveness of it seems wrong and scientifically unsound when we're talking about vaccinating a lot of people for a lot of money.
Considering it's made in the exact same way as the flu shot, there IS a long-term history of how the vaccine works. It's just a diferent type of flu virus that is used... you know, they change the shot up every year since the virus mutates. If it is NOT 100% effective (the regular flu shot) it's because the scientists who make the shots educated guesses as to which flu viruses will be more prevalent is wrong (hence it won't protect against the flu). That's all.
There really is nothing new about the shot - it's just another type of flu shot, which again, changes every season based on guesses. H1N1 is a known, and seems to be more dangerous and widespread, so they released a vaccine just for it since it missed the cutoff to be included with the regular flu shot.
Im getting vaccinated....Im active duty military and its required for Pregos and dependant children to recieve to H1N1 shot (not the nasal spray which is the active culture). I was a little against it at first but i did my own research along with my midwife, im confident in my health and the vaccine that im in good hands. do your own research its your body your baby...your choice! Good Luck!!!
After much thought and research I chose to absolutely NOT get vaccinated...I think the media hyped up the swine flu because it was the hot topic of the MOMENT...I agree with do your research and talk with your doctor, but no person is God and knows 100% the answer, outway the possibilities, but ultimately it's your decision, follow your gut instinct, you know what's best for you and be confident in your decision. Some people have totally agreed with me and only a very few others don't, but it's your decision, stick to it.
Some thoughts on how I decided not to get it...people die from the flu every year, but such a huge majority allllll have underlying health conditions, heart diesease etc. The h1n1 shot is so new NOBODY knows how it could effect your unborn baby (not even your medical professional friend or family member), and really you don't even know what the reg flu shot could do either. The chances of catching the swine flu are soooo minimal, (especially if you're smart and wash your hands when you get home from being out in public and before you eat, and not let people breathe all over you, ie keep a lil distance in the checkout line at the store) but if you get the vaccine you are 100% putting it in your body. I and I know plenty of people who don't even get the reg flu shot and never get the flu...even me...taught preschool for 3 years and kindergarten another 5, I travel, am always out and about and never get the flu. Waying out the chances it was common sense to me not to get it.
As far as professional oppinions...my family practitioner said not to get it just wash hands, be careful and my OB had a general office saying to get it, but when we discussed it he couldn't give me any real good reasons like he believed it himself he just gave me the be careful lecture....how do you know some push it for liability reasons or health care professionals get scared into pushing it not knowing there's an underlying money issue, the point you just don't know, trust your own judgement. There's PLENTY of people confidently NOT getting it, so don't be freaked into having to do it.
I'm so with you on that! Just use common since. If someone around you is sick. Don't touch your face, get away from them. My doctor told me the same thing, he is totally against it. He says it's still to new. He told me to stay at least 6 ft from people. When I hear or see someone cough or sneeze to put my shirt over my nose and mouth walk away and sanitize my hands all the way up to my forearm. And of course get away from them. But of course I've been on bed rest for the past month.
I wouldn't trust any doctor that advised against the H1N1 vaccine. They obviously can't read medical literature.
my doctor advised me against HINI vaccine because of my medical history and my allergic reactions to different vaccines . . we have no idea what the circumstances are from the above post of why they would advise or not advise against getting the vaccine or not. . . for this .. go with what you are comfortable with. If you are comfortable getting the H1N1 vaccine then get it . if you have ever gotten the flu shot, this is basically the same thing. If you are not comfortable, then don't get it. Its your decision.
I agree with you. Im also in the medical field and my Dr strongly suggested it but i just had a "bad feeling" about getting it. And just last week there was a recall here in texas about it so that may have been my "bad feeling". Im perfectly healthy so far. I'll just leave it in GODs hands
I have decided against getting the H1N1 shot despite what my doctor recommended. I just don't feel 100% confidant that doctors know everything there is to know regarding the vacination, it just hasn't been around long enough to know what side effects it may cause on an unborn child. I don't want to subject my baby to anything that isn't absolutely necessary.
I'm not getting it because it's questionable whether even the regular flu shot is helpful to pregnant women.
With my last baby my OB - who is a pretty traditional, old-school OB - shrugged and said it was up to me but that they have vaccine compensation programs for a reason. Since I'm a healthy woman, if I get the flu - even while pregnant - it mostly means feeling rotten while my body fights off the virus.
I do trust my body's immune system and feel that letting it build up immunity is better in the long run - for my children as well, which is why I don't give them the flu vaccine either.
Especially with the H1N1 vaccine that has not been thoroughly tested on pregnant women and seems to potentially have caused miscarriage or premature labor.
I'm also not exposed to a lot of people - I stay home with my kids, so I'm at a pretty low risk for contracting the disease.
I also remember reading a study done on pregnant women during the Spanish influenza, and there were no conclusive results that pregnant women were at more risk. I think the media has hyped H1N1 way out of control. Yes, some people have died. Yet thousands die from the regular flu each year. And some pregnant women have died. But whether they would have not died if they had the vaccine? And whether their complications were because they were pregnant or obese or underlying conditions - it's hard to know. We can never know. Some people are still contracting H1N1 even after getting the vaccine.
In the end, try not to stress about the decision. If you don't get the vaccine - be sensible. Eat a healthy diet, practice good hygiene, and don't worry. If you get the vaccine. Fine. Try not to worry about that either. Good luck!
Got mine two days after I tested positive with a home pregnancy test. I work in health care so I probably would've gotten it eventually anyway. Being pregnant just bumped me to the head of the line.
Reasons: Because I don't buy into the media hype. Because I have faith in my own immune system. Because I never get flu shots, so why would I start now? Because I am a healthy person. Because I refuse to inject myself with something that has toxic levels of mercury. Because I refuse to inject myself with a vaccination that has not been tested by the FDA or any other reputable association. Because H1N1 results in fewer deaths than the seasonal flu.
Most importantly, because I've done my research and know better.
Don't let people scare you into getting the vaccination. Do your own research and trust your instincts. XO
I fight everyone on this all the time, everyone where I work is against my decision. I don't get the flu shot, I'm 17 weeks pregnant and I haven't gotten the H1N1 shot. I didn't let my 3 & 5 year olds get the flu shot or this vaccine. I'm not an 'anti-vaccine' mom, I just don't believe in getting shots when your pregnant, ESPECIALLY when it is so new. There is NEVER a guarantee that it isn't going to harm your baby. What about 5, 10, 15 years down the road when they can start linking illnesses, attention disorders, cancer etc to the moms that got the H1N1 vaccine? Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you are going to die if you get sick. Its the flu. It doesn't eat away at your body or rip you apart. It's just yet ANOTHER stand of the flu. Stay strong and just keep thinking of that baby!!!
You ask a very good question. I feel that everyone needs to collect as much information as possible and then make their own educated decision. I am strongly against being a guinea pig. I am not crazy about any vacination but I most certainly won't try any thing that is really just an experiment. I also decided not to give my son any vaccines at all. When my son got a little cut on his forehead and needed stitches we were scared into giving him the Dtap. Two weeks later the doctor realized that his platelets were dropping and kept doubling down every two days and needed to be hospitalized. He developed a condition called ITP. After giving him fish oil, Ultracare for kids and probiotics he started to recover. His platelets although within normal range still hover on the low end. He has a vacination waiver.
I fight everyone on this all the time, everyone where I work is against my decision. I don't get the flu shot, I'm 17 weeks pregnant and I haven't gotten the H1N1 shot. I didn't let my 3 & 5 year olds get the flu shot or this vaccine. I'm not an 'anti-vaccine' mom, I just don't believe in getting shots when your pregnant, ESPECIALLY when it is so new. There is NEVER a guarantee that it isn't going to harm your baby. What about 5, 10, 15 years down the road when they can start linking illnesses, attention disorders, cancer etc to the moms that got the H1N1 vaccine? Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you are going to die if you get sick. Its the flu. It doesn't eat away at your body or rip you apart. It's just yet ANOTHER stand of the flu. Stay strong and just keep thinking of that baby!!!
No vaccine is 100% effective, but it's pretty damn close. For the girl who got the shot and then got H1NI - the virus can have up to a two week incubation period. So, if you were exposed prior to getting the shot, there is not much the vaccine can do. I can understand why people think that they got the flu from the vaccine, but that is simply impossible. It is an inactivated form of the virus. Rather, were already exposed to the flu when they got the shot in the first place.
Well, that makes sense to me. Perhaps I was just a little unlucky in my timing :]
I can see this debate is getting a bit heated. Soooo ... I think to each her own. I was still in my first trimester when I caught the virus and nobody seemed to be too concerned about it affecting the baby while I was in the hospital. The most they were concerned about was the fact that I was so dehydrated I couldn't hardly see straight. They never did an ultrasound or anything. The following week I was slated to have a checkup with my doctor and she confirmed that everything was fine. Not to say that every case would be fine, but that was my own experience.
So, if you're concerned about the vaccine doing something bad to your baby, don't get it. You and your baby will more than likely survive the illness as long as you don't have any other health complications. But if you don't want to get so sick you'll have to spend some time in the hospital, I suggest getting the shot early so you don't end up like me!!
i'm 12 weeks and i'm NOT GETTING IT......we don't know enough yet.
i'm 2006 my family DR told me i needed to get the HPV vaccine. I went to my ob, had a pap (everything was ok) then the 3 shots for the HPV vaccine. A year later i had my pap and HPV.............seems a little fishy to me......now we are seeing things on the news telling us not to get the HPV vaccine.......i'm not getting the H1N1 vaccine, i'm not convinced!
The seasonal flu shot is the CDC's best guess at which strain of flu will be prevalent during a particular season. The H1N1 shot was rushed to the market with little testing. When my son was 6 months old, I was given the option of subjecting him to a seasonal flu shot. I asked my doctor if his children would be receiving one. He said no. I declined also.
My son is now 5 years old and received all of his scheduled vaccines. He is also autistic. I do not believe that his vaccines "caused" his autism. I do believe that they contributed to it. After several rounds of antibiotics to treat a recurrent ear infection (I was a first time mother and didn't know any better) we recieved 5 shots at once during a well-child visit. I know in my heart now that his already depressed immune system could not handle the toxic load of the vaccines immediately following his illness. My daughter was given the same vaccine schedule a year later and is neuro-typical.
Vaccines are important and serve a good purpose. I will not dispute this. I will however object with my current pregnancy (another boy) that one size fits all concerning the administration of immunizations. I will follow an alternative schedule that spreads the toxic load much thinner.
Do what is best for you and what you know in your heart to be right for your body and your baby.
i'm also not getting it.i've never had a regular flu shot and am a very healthy person. also my mom's doctor who is 7 months pregnant refuses to get it and refuses to advocate for it at the cost of her losing her job.
apparently there are 2 different vaccines, canada made one and europe made one. for some reason canada sold their vaccine to the US and then bought our vaccine from europe...which doesn't make ANY sense to me. but anyways, the vaccine here in canada has been linked to another vaccine put out about 10 years ago (same sort of ingredients) which is now finding autism in children and other functional disabilities in children who had it. so i'm not taking that chance!
also, one of my mom's doc's patients got the vaccine for her little 6 month old baby girl, and she died 24 hours later because her system shut down....just sayin.
Well I for one am not getting the H1N1 vaccine. There are a few reasons to why, since you asked here they are:
1. My brother had adverse reaction to vaccines as a child and ended up with seisures, migraines and Asperger's syndrome. I know this sounds like I may be over reacting but if we are related who is to say things can not happpen to me or now my baby. Granted this was not the H1N1 vaccine that caused his trauma, but it was "tested tried and true" vaccines from over the years. I for one will not take the risk.
2. H1N1 has not had enough time to show its true colors. If I am proactive and when working in close proximity to my patients I wear a mask, this should help to cut down any chances I may have to catch the H1N1 flu.
3. Last but not least. We are filled with prenatal vitamins, going to the doctor more than regularly now and eating most likely better than we normally do now that we are pregnant. I feel that now more than ever we are very safe. Not to mention I believe every nurse I have spoken to says there has not been enough time out there...I hold what the nurses say very close to my heart because they are the eyes and ears in the medical field .
LOL okay so I am now getting off my soap box *hop* but I really feel strong about the vaccine. I am in school for nursing, and have had the chance to hear the buzz from the medical staff. I just feel its to soon.
Wow- TONS of replys- if you're still reading this far...
I'm not getting it. My Midwife "unofficially" advised against it (since it's standard "all of everybody should get the flu shot" but in reality, she said something along the lines of "you're not even supposed to take tylenol when PG, why the heck would you put this less than tested thing in your body?"...
I have NEVER had the flu vax. I've also never had more than the 24 hr bug (or strep, but that's a different story).
You have to do what makes you comfortable. I know someone that manufactures this stuff- she highly recommends it for everyone- she's worked on all the steps of testing and production, she knows her stuff. I still won't get it.
Oh- and I do vaxinate my children on schedule- so it's not like that for me.
Brigit, Mom to Alex, Isabelle and Charlotte, Widow to Earl
ALSO---- My midwife does suggest getting 800mg of calcium- there have been studdies that show that Calcium helps boost your immune system. I take my Calcium pills every morning with my pre-natals.
Brigit, Mom to Alex, Isabelle and Charlotte, Widow to Earl
Oh my FOX news, huh? Pleeease do research deeper than just what news stations and the CDC put out. I am NOT a conspiracy-theorist and I don't want to sound like one... I've just had an eerie feeling about this from the beginning.
First- let me say that I cannot get the flu, or h1n1 vaccine because I'm allergic to down.
Everything is way too rushed for me. It usually takes a year to tweek the seasonal flu vaccine, right? & they developed this in a few short months. They were, and probably still are, administering the vaccines as "clinical trials".. because they had to develop it so quickly that they didn't have time to do any. & when people had shifty eyes about it not being approved by the FDA (which normally takes about 5 yrs to do)- a few days later, BAM! FDA approved!
& did you guys miss the news story about the girl that got the flu shot & couldn't talk/function "normally" unless she was RUNNING?!
I guess it depends on what kind of environment you're in on a daily basis. I'm not working now and hand sani is my best friend when I do go out. So if I had the option I wouldn't get it. The risks just out weigh the benefits to me.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, we're all mothers/about to be mothers so we all have instincts Just make sure you get articles & information from credible sources other than news stations & drug administrations. There are plenty out there GL!
Re: H1N1...Who's Not Getting Vaccinated?
Tough decision, but just because the CDC and your doc's recommend something doesn't mean it's safe. The vaccine companies lobby in Washington DC to get the their vaccine's put on the "required" vaccine protocol list. There is a lot of politics and money behind it all.
The FDA also approved DES, Phen Phen, Vioxx, etc. Just between the time I had my first and fourth child they recalled the rotovirus vaccine because it was causing intussusception and they switched the polio vaccine from an oral one to an injection again, because kids were getting polio from the vaccine. Never in history has the flu shot been given to mass amount of pregnant women and small children. It may be perfectly fine, but we really don't know. When a few of us asked one of the high risk obstetricians that we work with about the possible effects of mass vaccinating all of these pregnant women, his response was..."I guess we'll know in about 5 years what problems it may cause."
I never get flu shots, and usually won't take medicine unless it is absolutly necessary. I just don't trust something that is so new and could have serious side effects. Just my opinion.
I am a nurse, and I work in a newborn intensive care unit at a children's hospital.
I was on the fence for weeks as to whether or not to get the H1N1 shot. I stopped getting the regular flu shot a couple of years ago because I haven't had the flu since I was in high school. I wondered about the safety of the H1N1 shot itself. I am neither pro- nor anti- vaccine, I just want to do the best I can and not do more than I need to for myself. I researched through all the BS that's out there and discovered a few things:
This shot is no more dangerous than a regular flu shot as it is created the exact same way. The thing that's new is the more virulent virus.These so-called "side effects" you've been hearing about in the news... well the chances that these people would have come down with these things anyway are WAY better than the chances that they are from the flu shot!! And that stuff that happened in the 70's... HELLO that was 30 years ago!
People are getting much sicker with this flu than the regular flu because of its virulence. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable and the ones that are getting it are getting incredibly sick and some are needing intensive care.
Our children's hospital is considering accepting pregnant women with H1N1 for life-saving measures that they can't get anywhere else.
All the flu out there IS the swine flu. No one is getting the regular flu! Not everyone is getting deathly ill but there are those that are at much higher risk than others. Children top the list of high risk of significant illness. Pregnancy puts you next. Especially if you are pregnant AND have asthma or allergies that can lead to breathing difficulties.
Because of all this, I chose to get the H1N1 shot and decline the regular flut shot. And this was BEFORE I knew I was pregnant!
Please please do the research for YOURSELF, doctors don't know everything and are often biased for many reasons that you can't even imagine. And a lot of the media is full of things that aren't terribly accurate and do nothing but scare you. Check the CDC website (www.cdc.gov) to see how bad it has really gotten. And it's still early in the season! I decided to get the shot for the babies I work for and the children I'm around because of the particular virulence of this. And now I'm glad I did because of my pregnancy. If you don't get it and end up getting sick while you're pregnant you're really going to regret it, and if not no skin off your teeth. And BTW, Tamiflu is turning out not to be as effective as we would like it to be on this novel virus, so don't rely on DRUGS to get you out of something you could have easily prevented in the first place.
AND did you know it's only effective if you get it within 48 hours of the FIRST appearance of symptoms!?!
I'm not telling you to get it. I'm not telling you to not get it. I'm telling you to do the research for yourself and weigh the risks and benefits for you, your baby, and your children. I have seen many children die from this flu first hand. What is the real reason you're not getting it? Because of what you heard on the news? You trust the news? Why would anyone get a vaccine for a flu that no one has but decline the one that people DO have? That doesn't make any sense when they are made the exact same way. Please just consider the REAL consequences of getting or not getting it and make an educated decision whether you want to take the risk of getting the flu or not. You can get vaccines without additives. You can get vaccines without thimerosol. You just have to care enough to find them!!
Take care of yourself and your baby whatever you decide.
Peace
Please don't get it. I am not exposing my innocent child to those harmful chemicals that probably aren't going to protect me anyway. There is absolutely NO evidence (I repeat NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER) this vaccine has been tested and proven even remotely safe for your unborn child. All you have is the reassurance of the CDC itsellf saying the vaccine is made "in the exact same way" as the "safe" regular flu vaccine. That's like saying if I make cyanide in the same way, same kitchen and same pot I made "safe" spaghetti in, you're ok to eat it. Trials on pregnant women have only just begun, and we won't know if it's safe for unborn babies until the babies are actually born - and truly not until years down the road.
Besides, no vaccine is 100%, and several women on here who have gotten the vaccine got sick anyway! My OB said she could not recommend it for all of these reasons, and I trust her 110%. Wash your hands frequently, use common sense, and you'll be fine. If you start getting sick, check your temp regularly and head to the doctor if you start a fever. Same thing with congestion.
Remember, the chances of you getting the H1N1 are pretty low anyway, chances even lower yet that you'd need any kind of serious treatment for it, and chances even lower yet you'd need to be hospitalized, and chances even lower yet you'd actually die from it. You're WAY, WAY, WAY more likely to hurt yourself or your baby in a car accident than have serious complications from the flu, or die from the flu, IF (that's a big IF) you even contracted the flu! No one is recommending women stay out of cars!
You're making the right decision - promise. Think about if injecting your innocent baby with untested, unproven chemicals that may not protect you anyway is wise. Trust your gut!
This post makes me annoyed that the search function works now. This will.not.die.
Although its interesting to see how many crazies there are on these boards!
Haha, I can't believe this shiit is stil going. Awesome.
And the post before yours is some of the craziest shiit I've ever read. I love it.
Soko, only because you are so adamantly for it - can you tell me, how much does your risk of getting H1N1 decrease if you get the shot?
Anyone?
Sure.
No vaccine is 100% effective, but it's pretty damn close. For the girl who got the shot and then got H1NI - the virus can have up to a two week incubation period. So, if you were exposed prior to getting the shot, there is not much the vaccine can do. I can understand why people think that they got the flu from the vaccine, but that is simply impossible. It is an inactivated form of the virus. Rather, were already exposed to the flu when they got the shot in the first place.
Yes, I do know that. And they have done studies - on the flu vaccine, period. H1N1 is simply a strain of the flu. The flu vaccine changes EVERY YEAR, because the flu mutates every year.
I'm not going to convince you, and that's fine. But don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.
Considering it's made in the exact same way as the flu shot, there IS a long-term history of how the vaccine works. It's just a diferent type of flu virus that is used... you know, they change the shot up every year since the virus mutates. If it is NOT 100% effective (the regular flu shot) it's because the scientists who make the shots educated guesses as to which flu viruses will be more prevalent is wrong (hence it won't protect against the flu). That's all.
There really is nothing new about the shot - it's just another type of flu shot, which again, changes every season based on guesses. H1N1 is a known, and seems to be more dangerous and widespread, so they released a vaccine just for it since it missed the cutoff to be included with the regular flu shot.
I am not getting it i refuse...like everyone else is saying its just a gut feeling. i dont think there has been enough research on it.
After much thought and research I chose to absolutely NOT get vaccinated...I think the media hyped up the swine flu because it was the hot topic of the MOMENT...I agree with do your research and talk with your doctor, but no person is God and knows 100% the answer, outway the possibilities, but ultimately it's your decision, follow your gut instinct, you know what's best for you and be confident in your decision. Some people have totally agreed with me and only a very few others don't, but it's your decision, stick to it.
Some thoughts on how I decided not to get it...people die from the flu every year, but such a huge majority allllll have underlying health conditions, heart diesease etc. The h1n1 shot is so new NOBODY knows how it could effect your unborn baby (not even your medical professional friend or family member), and really you don't even know what the reg flu shot could do either. The chances of catching the swine flu are soooo minimal, (especially if you're smart and wash your hands when you get home from being out in public and before you eat, and not let people breathe all over you, ie keep a lil distance in the checkout line at the store) but if you get the vaccine you are 100% putting it in your body. I and I know plenty of people who don't even get the reg flu shot and never get the flu...even me...taught preschool for 3 years and kindergarten another 5, I travel, am always out and about and never get the flu. Waying out the chances it was common sense to me not to get it.
As far as professional oppinions...my family practitioner said not to get it just wash hands, be careful and my OB had a general office saying to get it, but when we discussed it he couldn't give me any real good reasons like he believed it himself he just gave me the be careful lecture....how do you know some push it for liability reasons or health care professionals get scared into pushing it not knowing there's an underlying money issue, the point you just don't know, trust your own judgement. There's PLENTY of people confidently NOT getting it, so don't be freaked into having to do it.
Just my thoughts and my own opinions of course...
I'm so with you on that! Just use common since. If someone around you is sick. Don't touch your face, get away from them. My doctor told me the same thing, he is totally against it. He says it's still to new. He told me to stay at least 6 ft from people. When I hear or see someone cough or sneeze to put my shirt over my nose and mouth walk away and sanitize my hands all the way up to my forearm. And of course get away from them. But of course I've been on bed rest for the past month.
I wouldn't trust any doctor that advised against the H1N1 vaccine. They obviously can't read medical literature.
my doctor advised me against HINI vaccine because of my medical history and my allergic reactions to different vaccines . . we have no idea what the circumstances are from the above post of why they would advise or not advise against getting the vaccine or not. . . for this .. go with what you are comfortable with. If you are comfortable getting the H1N1 vaccine then get it . if you have ever gotten the flu shot, this is basically the same thing. If you are not comfortable, then don't get it. Its your decision.
I'm not getting it because it's questionable whether even the regular flu shot is helpful to pregnant women.
With my last baby my OB - who is a pretty traditional, old-school OB - shrugged and said it was up to me but that they have vaccine compensation programs for a reason. Since I'm a healthy woman, if I get the flu - even while pregnant - it mostly means feeling rotten while my body fights off the virus.
I do trust my body's immune system and feel that letting it build up immunity is better in the long run - for my children as well, which is why I don't give them the flu vaccine either.
Especially with the H1N1 vaccine that has not been thoroughly tested on pregnant women and seems to potentially have caused miscarriage or premature labor.
I'm also not exposed to a lot of people - I stay home with my kids, so I'm at a pretty low risk for contracting the disease.
I also remember reading a study done on pregnant women during the Spanish influenza, and there were no conclusive results that pregnant women were at more risk. I think the media has hyped H1N1 way out of control. Yes, some people have died. Yet thousands die from the regular flu each year. And some pregnant women have died. But whether they would have not died if they had the vaccine? And whether their complications were because they were pregnant or obese or underlying conditions - it's hard to know. We can never know. Some people are still contracting H1N1 even after getting the vaccine.
In the end, try not to stress about the decision. If you don't get the vaccine - be sensible. Eat a healthy diet, practice good hygiene, and don't worry. If you get the vaccine. Fine. Try not to worry about that either. Good luck!
I'm not getting it!!
Reasons: Because I don't buy into the media hype. Because I have faith in my own immune system. Because I never get flu shots, so why would I start now? Because I am a healthy person. Because I refuse to inject myself with something that has toxic levels of mercury. Because I refuse to inject myself with a vaccination that has not been tested by the FDA or any other reputable association. Because H1N1 results in fewer deaths than the seasonal flu.
Most importantly, because I've done my research and know better.
Don't let people scare you into getting the vaccination. Do your own research and trust your instincts. XO
I'm not getting it. Never had the flu...never had a flu shot.
Do what your gut is telling you cuz at the end of the day what we do or think does not matter in your world.
Agreed.
Well, that makes sense to me. Perhaps I was just a little unlucky in my timing :]
I can see this debate is getting a bit heated. Soooo ... I think to each her own. I was still in my first trimester when I caught the virus and nobody seemed to be too concerned about it affecting the baby while I was in the hospital. The most they were concerned about was the fact that I was so dehydrated I couldn't hardly see straight. They never did an ultrasound or anything. The following week I was slated to have a checkup with my doctor and she confirmed that everything was fine. Not to say that every case would be fine, but that was my own experience.
So, if you're concerned about the vaccine doing something bad to your baby, don't get it. You and your baby will more than likely survive the illness as long as you don't have any other health complications. But if you don't want to get so sick you'll have to spend some time in the hospital, I suggest getting the shot early so you don't end up like me!!
i'm 12 weeks and i'm NOT GETTING IT......we don't know enough yet.
i'm 2006 my family DR told me i needed to get the HPV vaccine. I went to my ob, had a pap (everything was ok) then the 3 shots for the HPV vaccine. A year later i had my pap and HPV.............seems a little fishy to me......now we are seeing things on the news telling us not to get the HPV vaccine.......i'm not getting the H1N1 vaccine, i'm not convinced!
The seasonal flu shot is the CDC's best guess at which strain of flu will be prevalent during a particular season. The H1N1 shot was rushed to the market with little testing. When my son was 6 months old, I was given the option of subjecting him to a seasonal flu shot. I asked my doctor if his children would be receiving one. He said no. I declined also.
My son is now 5 years old and received all of his scheduled vaccines. He is also autistic. I do not believe that his vaccines "caused" his autism. I do believe that they contributed to it. After several rounds of antibiotics to treat a recurrent ear infection (I was a first time mother and didn't know any better) we recieved 5 shots at once during a well-child visit. I know in my heart now that his already depressed immune system could not handle the toxic load of the vaccines immediately following his illness. My daughter was given the same vaccine schedule a year later and is neuro-typical.
Vaccines are important and serve a good purpose. I will not dispute this. I will however object with my current pregnancy (another boy) that one size fits all concerning the administration of immunizations. I will follow an alternative schedule that spreads the toxic load much thinner.
Do what is best for you and what you know in your heart to be right for your body and your baby.
i'm also not getting it.i've never had a regular flu shot and am a very healthy person. also my mom's doctor who is 7 months pregnant refuses to get it and refuses to advocate for it at the cost of her losing her job.
apparently there are 2 different vaccines, canada made one and europe made one. for some reason canada sold their vaccine to the US and then bought our vaccine from europe...which doesn't make ANY sense to me. but anyways, the vaccine here in canada has been linked to another vaccine put out about 10 years ago (same sort of ingredients) which is now finding autism in children and other functional disabilities in children who had it. so i'm not taking that chance!
also, one of my mom's doc's patients got the vaccine for her little 6 month old baby girl, and she died 24 hours later because her system shut down....just sayin.
hope that helps
Well I for one am not getting the H1N1 vaccine. There are a few reasons to why, since you asked here they are:
1. My brother had adverse reaction to vaccines as a child and ended up with seisures, migraines and Asperger's syndrome. I know this sounds like I may be over reacting but if we are related who is to say things can not happpen to me or now my baby. Granted this was not the H1N1 vaccine that caused his trauma, but it was "tested tried and true" vaccines from over the years. I for one will not take the risk.
2. H1N1 has not had enough time to show its true colors. If I am proactive and when working in close proximity to my patients I wear a mask, this should help to cut down any chances I may have to catch the H1N1 flu.
3. Last but not least. We are filled with prenatal vitamins, going to the doctor more than regularly now and eating most likely better than we normally do now that we are pregnant. I feel that now more than ever we are very safe. Not to mention I believe every nurse I have spoken to says there has not been enough time out there...I hold what the nurses say very close to my heart because they are the eyes and ears in the medical field .
LOL okay so I am now getting off my soap box *hop* but I really feel strong about the vaccine. I am in school for nursing, and have had the chance to hear the buzz from the medical staff. I just feel its to soon.
ciao' & Happy New Year!!!
steph
Wow- TONS of replys- if you're still reading this far...
I'm not getting it. My Midwife "unofficially" advised against it (since it's standard "all of everybody should get the flu shot" but in reality, she said something along the lines of "you're not even supposed to take tylenol when PG, why the heck would you put this less than tested thing in your body?"...
I have NEVER had the flu vax. I've also never had more than the 24 hr bug (or strep, but that's a different story).
You have to do what makes you comfortable. I know someone that manufactures this stuff- she highly recommends it for everyone- she's worked on all the steps of testing and production, she knows her stuff. I still won't get it.
Oh- and I do vaxinate my children on schedule- so it's not like that for me.
Oh my FOX news, huh? Pleeease do research deeper than just what news stations and the CDC put out. I am NOT a conspiracy-theorist and I don't want to sound like one... I've just had an eerie feeling about this from the beginning.
First- let me say that I cannot get the flu, or h1n1 vaccine because I'm allergic to down.
Everything is way too rushed for me. It usually takes a year to tweek the seasonal flu vaccine, right? & they developed this in a few short months. They were, and probably still are, administering the vaccines as "clinical trials".. because they had to develop it so quickly that they didn't have time to do any. & when people had shifty eyes about it not being approved by the FDA (which normally takes about 5 yrs to do)- a few days later, BAM! FDA approved!
& did you guys miss the news story about the girl that got the flu shot & couldn't talk/function "normally" unless she was RUNNING?!
I guess it depends on what kind of environment you're in on a daily basis. I'm not working now and hand sani is my best friend when I do go out. So if I had the option I wouldn't get it. The risks just out weigh the benefits to me.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, we're all mothers/about to be mothers so we all have instincts
Just make sure you get articles & information from credible sources other than news stations & drug administrations. There are plenty out there 
GL!