Swine flu shot question...sorry if it's been asked.

jennstacy

Hi there...I have a zillion questions and would love to hear anyone's opinions about the swine flu shot!!!  I am truly in turmoil about this!

My husband and I had decided that we are NOT getting the swine flu vaccination...there has just not been enough long term studies and we are so grateful to have a healthy baby.  Plus I am allergic to eggs...plus there is no cap now on how much mercury can be in the swine flu vaccination.

However, today at midwife's office she told me some pretty scary statistics.  I am a third grade teacher so  am at risk of getting it....

She said that the death rate for pregnant women who get it is 28%...WOW WOW WOW...that is a lot!  She also said it's because it attacks your lower lungs and that is where our lungs are squished from baby so it's hard to heal from.  She also said that being pregnant our bodies will protect the baby, but not fight off the virus like anyone else's does. do.

YIKES...have you decided to get it or not? With or without the mercury?  Are you worried about side effects.  I have never even gotten the regular flu shot.  Everyone I know that gets one seems to get the flu  LOL...maybe just a coincidence though.  ANy thoughts would be appreciated!  Thank you!

ceramsey

Up until today I was not going to get the H1N1 vaccine. I did get the preservative-free seasonal flu shot without hesitation. I work from home and felt that I do enough hand washing and preventative measures to ward the H1N1 off.  However, at an appointment today I heard a woman saying that her daughter is a carrier for the virus and got everyone in her family sick, yet did not display symptoms or get sick herself.  That is scary because all of my family and friends work in schools and major office buildings. What if my husband is a carrier and brings it home?

I then received a call from my OB saying that they were recommending their pregnant patients to get it, talked to my physician who is recommending the preservative-free shot, and spoke with our state's call center, all who said this flu shot is made the same way as the regular flu shot, just fights against a different strain. I know people are worried about long term effects on their baby, but with the information I've been given, I have no reason to believe they will be any different than receiving the seasonal flu shot.

I decided that, after making it this far in the pregnancy, I did not want to risk getting sick and having complications. Better safe than sorry. I think it's up to you to make an informed decision and not worry what others think of your decision. 

ColindaP

I'm not getting it and don't really care to get into a debate on the merits of it. I just wanted to add that I find it interesting that this seems to be all everyone else's providers want to talk about. My midwife hasn't mentioned it once!

GTBrideKC

I already got my H1N1 shot.  My ob had it in and really encouraged me to get it.  I trust him.  The shot also had no mercury in it according to him.  Even if it did, it would be such a small amount, like less than a can of tuna. 

I think your midwife's stats are off though.  The rate for serious complications for pregnant women are higher, yes.  But I have heard that about 30% of pregnant women hospitalized have died.  Not the same as 28% of pregnant women that get H1N1.

Our immune systems are more depressed b/c of pregnancy, therefore we will have a harder time fighting off the virus.  I got the vaccine for this reason and also b/c the antibodies are also passed onto our babies.  They can't get the vaccine for a long while after they are born, so I want to protect my LO as much as possible. 

As for not enough research being done of the vaccine.... I was worried about this at first.  But, they developed this vaccine the same way they develop the seasonal flu shot, which many, many pregnant women get every year.  Had they been able to incorporate it into the seasonal shot earlier, no one would think twice.  My doctor says it's perfectly safe and I believe him.  That's what I pay him for. 

For the record, I had no s/e with the shot, just a sore arm for the day.  I'm not getting the regular flu shot, I never get it.  The flu strains change year to year so there's less of a chance of it working.  I felt H1N1 was different though. 

Talk to your doctor about your egg allergy though.

CMM05

I got it Saturday and everything is fine. I was given the thimerosol-free shot, but didn't even ask for it b/c I wasn't worried about it.

Everyone in the house got the shot (including my 2 year old son....).

What you need to remember is that its made the same way a "regular" flu shot is made. Had the outbreak happened sooner, the H1N1 strain would have been put in to the "regular" flu shot and all of these "concerns" would not have come up.

The amount of thimerosol in the shot is LESS than the amount of one tuna fish sandwich......

It is a complete myth that getting any type of flu shot causes the flu......

I have gotten the flu shot my entire life and have never come down with the flu......

GL with your decision!

 

saverne

It seems to me that the biggest factor for you may be your egg allergy.  Ask your OB/MW if you should have it since you are allergic.  I know when I got the shot they asked me specifically if I am allergic to eggs (I'm not).

For me, I decided to get the swine flu shot. DH is in the medical field and has patients with H1N1.  There is less mercury in the shot than in a tuna sandwich.  Plus, H1N1 is manufactured the exact same way as the seasonal flu shot, which has a good record given to pg women.  Also, the seasonal flu shot won't give someone the flu, but it only usually covers 2-3 strains of flu and there are many, many more flu viruses than that, so the seasonal flu shot doesn't give 100% protection from the flu which is why some people get the shot and still get sick later.  The H1N1 shot is specifically for that virus.

In the end, do what feels best for you.  I totally get why people decide not to get the shot, and I think  you can still take precautions to lower your risk of getting it without getting the shot.  Plus, like I said, I would get more info if I had an egg allergy.  Good luck!

VanessaRae9608

I am with Ceramsey! I wasn't going to get it and now I did. I am a nurse AND in 3rd tri - 2 huge risk factors and I felt I owed it to my baby to get the immunity for him/her and not risk it!

I got the preservative free vaccine as well so no mercury at all!

vera1127

I am getting mine this morning. It took a lot of thinking and research but I finally decided that the risks of the vaccine are not nearly as high as the risks of the virus itself. This virus is killing young, healthy people and no one knows why. I am not taking that risk. Just like someone else said, had this virus come about sooner it would have been included in the seasonal flu shot and no one really would have known any different. There is another strain of an H1N1 virus in the seasonal flu shot that is different from 2009 H1N1. It's not made any differently, it's just a different virus its protecting you from. I haven't gotten a seasonal shot yet just because I waited too long and now can't find one, but I did track down some H1N1s and am getting it ASAP!!!

kristinem17

I am not getting it.  My OB is on the fence about it and mentioned it just once 2 months ago... he left it up to each of his patients.  The vaccine arrived this week and when they called and offered it, I declined.  I just don't feel confident in a vaccine which was created so rapidly and has yet to be studied thoroughly... there have been no babies born yet whose mother had the vaccine.. therefore, how can they say for sure that no harm is caused to the unborn child?!  I will take my chances and be careful - extra precautions, hand washing etc... plus I am a stay at home wife, so am not exposed as much as others who work in areas with lots of contact with others on a regular basis.  It really is a personal decision, I would have to say that to get it or not get it is pretty split topic.

ibis

The death rate is NOT 28%!! The mortality rate for pregnant women from swine flu is the same as from seasonal flu - about 4%. 28% of pregnant women who were hospitalized did die, but that is a VERY small number of people so far and to me it's not statistically significant at this point. Most women who've gotten it have not even had to be hospitalized.

If you have an egg allergy you are not supposed to get flu vaccinations of any kind. 

BeckyS1211

I got it yesterday.  I work in a school where we've already had 3 "confirmed cases".  I think pretty much everyone who has the flu right now has H1N1 becuase isn't the regular flu around closer to dec-feb?  I also am a SLP so I'm in direct contact with kids (face to face up close and personal) and I get spit on and whatnot.  I decided it was the right choice for me.

BethNittany

I was on the fence about it as well.  I ended up getting it for 2 reasons:

- My DS is 2 years old and if he got H1N1 there would be no one to take care of him if I couldn't be around him.  We live out of state, my dad has cancer and can't be around anyone that is sick (my mom is his care-taker, so she couldn't help either).   My DH is a football coach and would not be able to take time off. 

 -I work at a university, teach aerobics at the gym and I am grabbing weights and body bars, etc. almost every day.  My doc told me I was in a high risk group...besides being PG.

So, that's that.  I hope I made the right decision.  I guess you just try to do what's right with the amount of information you have. 

RebandJake

Thanks to everyone who answered this honestly -my doc just called and said that the shot was available and to come in as soon as possible if I wanted it.  I am going in this afternoon.  I was on the fence about it but I did some reading (not just the bump!) and I feel I have made the right decision.