Fall/Winter due date ladies

Melicakes · September 2011

Will you be getting a flu shot? I've never gotten one. Maybe I'm crazy but flu shots are the one vaccine I think are bs... Childhood vaccines make sense to me to help build a LO's immunity. And the vaccines from my understanding contain dead viruses. The flu shot is live , weak but still alive which means you can get sick from the disease you were trying not to get! I'm already asthmatic , a simple cold gets me wheezing, the flu would be worse...

Anyway I've always avoiding getting the flu shot but it's recommended for pg women. I don't want to get it because A if I get the flu I can't take anything for it! And B If I get the flu from it and it gets complicated I'd be putting baby at risk and that's the last thing I'd ever want to do....

I've been "lucky" I've only had the flu once and that was in grade school (via grubby school peers of course). Should I test my luck to get me to due date through flu season flu free? Or do I test my luck get the shot and end up with the damn flu?

WWYD??

jesselayne8 · September 2011

I have never had a flu shot either even though I work in healthcare. The only thing that worries me about getting it while pregnant is if I end up having some type of allergic reaction. I havent made my mind up yet about getting it or not.

MSaksa · September 2011

I was actually thinking about this the other day. I work in a hospital so I pretty much have to get the flu shot, and I'm also asthmatic so I don't want to risk getting the flu and then pneumonia. My hospital doesn't recommend getting it until the last week of Oct so that you're covered through the late winter round of flu and since I'm due the first week of Nov I'm planning on just getting it after I have the baby. Don't know if this helps you but its what I'm doing.

matt'sbride · September 2011

I was planning to get it because I read that it's a good thing for pg women to do. I've gotten it the last few years because my job offers it for free and because I work with germy little kids. However, you ladies bring up good points. I'm going to ask my dr about it at my next appt and see what she says.

MrsRumpf · September 2011

I'm due in November, and DH is a teacher who come into contact with TONS of germies--yet I'm not getting one either.

I maybe did once in my life.

DH got his flu shot in Tuesday so hopefully that will help out with what he could came down with. But he and I were both teaching the last three years and nether of us came down with anything during that time. Go figure.

I say, it's a personal decision. I'm not gonna!

Echloe · September 2011

Flu shots are not BS! Sorry, but being a microbiologist who works at a germ laden University I can't understand how some of you could have never gotten a flu shot. I guess you are just really lucky. That or you have great immune systems.

CluckyEV · September 2011

I will be getting one. I got my first one last year when we started going through treatments. Like all of you, I have been lucky enough to not get it, even though I was a sales person who worked in grocery stores dealing with all sorts of people and their sicknesses. I do realize I am not due until mid Feb, but it seems like when it spreads around here it is around for way too long!

Melicakes · September 2011

Echloe:
Flu shots are not BS! Sorry, but being a microbiologist who works at a germ laden University I can't understand how some of you could have never gotten a flu shot. I guess you are just really lucky. That or you have great immune systems.

I had hoped you'd chime in. Can you elaborate more on pros or cons since you have a better understanding of germs and bacteria?

tosh24 · September 2011

I've never gotten the flu shot (I didn't with DD either). I don't give it to DD, and DH doesn't get it either.

I'm also a biologist, and while I don't think the shot is BS, my opinion is that it has it's place within the high risk community. Those of you who are pregnant over the winter may want to consider it, but I'm due the beginning of December (and will likely have LO by the end of Nov), so I may just get it after LO is born. I would only get it to protect LO this year (and might have DD get it too since she's in school), but otherwise, I would not be getting it. We are healthy people with no serious health issues. We have immune systems for a reason, and funny thing, in the general, low risk population with no compromising health issues, that immune system functions pretty darn well.

I've had the flu twice before, and I'm not going to lie, it was pure hell. If I was going to be pregnant over the winter, I think I would probably get the shot. But it would be a one time thing based on my increased risk for that season. I'm still not automatically getting it every year, and neither is my family.

Imanurse03 · September 2011

I absoultely will be getting a flu shot. I have gotten a flu shot every fall for years because I'm a Type 1 diabetic and I will get one again this year. Plus, I work as a nurse and I'm exposed to the public and all their germs.

You can't get the flu virus from the flu shot. I'm not sure why people think that but that is a HUGE myth. Check out the CDC and that will dispell that myth for you. The flu shot is a safe and effective vaccine and has been for years. Sure, you may get a few minor side effects from the shot such as a localized reaction, fatigue, and achiness. But you most definitely don't get the flu from the flu shot. I

helloshannon · September 2011

i never used to get them and then 2 years ago in november i got the swine flu. i thought i had had the flu before but this was INSANE. i was literally delirious with fever for over a week. DH got it too but not as bad as I did. it was the worst I have ever felt.

So last year I got the combo flu/swine flu shot and didn't get anything. i won't risk getting sick like that again ever, let alone at 8 months pregnant.

Jessiree · September 2011

My PCP pushed me into getting one last year, but I won't be getting one this year. Last year was the first time I'd ever gotten the flu shot. I understand all the different viewpoints on it, but it's nothing something I'll be doing. To each her own!

SunMoon&Stars · September 2011

I get flu shots every year. The last time I didn't (because of a shortage) I was sick for six weeks.

However......since I will be BFing this year it will absolutely NOT be a vaccine with thimerosal. Thimerosal is a mercury- containing preservative which has no clinical benefit; it's just for the provider's convenience so they can use one vial for multiple doses. Since there are thimerosal-free versions of the flu vax (the CDC website publishes a list every season) there IMO is no reason to expose my child to mercury. And NFW will my child ever get a thimerosal-containing shot.

kthappy76 · September 2011

Absolutely, no question, and soon. I was just reading that pg women should get them early in the season, like Sept., to avoid exposure. Pg impedes your immune system, for those who haven't and think they will never get the flu. I had never gotten the shot, until I got the flu six years ago. It was really awful (the flu, not the shot). I had a pg friend get the flu last winter and she had to be hospitalized. There is no good reason not to get it.

KDR1979 · September 2011

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/It is not a live virus! Just the flu mist is live, but that is not recommended for pregnant women. I have gotten the flu and h1n1 vaccine the last 3 yrs (since ttc) & have never gotten sick fromIt. I think if you look up the stats on how many people die of influenza annually & how many Pregnant women ended up in icu or died of h1n1, you will want it! If you get it a few weeks before Delivery, you will pass on immunity to your baby....which is especially important for fall/winterBabies!Sorry.....had to pop in from IFv....I work in an Ob-gyn office & the flu shot is very importantFor pregnant women!

KDR1979 · September 2011

1 more comment....being pregnant does decrease your immune system, which is whyPregnant women are more susceptible to getting colds/flu, etc. The baby is 1/2 someone else's dNA, so your immune system has to decrease a bit so your body doesn't "attack" the baby.So, I recommend flu shots for pg women.

.

Melicakes · September 2011

Thank for all the replies, ladies. I can't say I feel any differently right now but I will look up the links to be a little more informed. When I see my OB next week I'll ask for her input as well and then decide from there.

sweetky_06 · September 2011

I've never gotten the flu shot and I've never had the flu. Unless my OB strongly recommends it, I do not plan on getting it.

firewife9278 · September 2011

I won't be. I have only gotten a flu shot once in my life (back in college when they were giving them for free and I went with my roommate). I ended up in the ER from a reaction to it. I vowed never to get one again!

NicoleeBonsai · September 2011

PappsMcgee:
I've gotten them the last few years and have been fine. I thought they did have a "not live" version of the vaccination, no?
Personally I always get sick once a year (if not more) anyway, so if the shot prevents me from getting it, then fantastic! With that said, I will have LO before flu season this year so its different I guess.
My work does them for free, and they always ask if you're pregnant and they said it's a different strain they give you?

exactly this. last year when i got mine i said i could be and they gave me a different strain of the vaccine or something. i *always* get one, and have never had the flu, and the worst side effect from the shot is dead arm for a few days.

KDR1979 · September 2011

Your OB/CNM should recommend it since it is an ACOG (their professional organization) recommendation.

For Release:

September 21, 2010

All Pregnant Women Should Get the Flu Vaccine
Flu Prevention is Essential Prenatal Care

Washington, DC -- All pregnant women, regardless of trimester, should get the influenza vaccination during the flu season, according to new recommendations issued today by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and published in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The College emphasizes that preventing the flu during pregnancy is an essential element of prenatal care and that it is imperative that physicians, healthcare organizations, and public health officials improve their efforts to increase immunization rates among pregnant women. Last week, the CDC, along with The College and other medical organizations, encouraged all physicians and health care providers to urge their pregnant and postpartum patients to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Annual flu vaccination is crucial for pregnant women because the immune system changes during pregnancy, which results in women being at increased risk of serious complications if they get the flu. Flu vaccination performs double duty by protecting both pregnant women and their babies. Babies cannot be vaccinated against the flu until they are six months old, but they receive antibodies from their mother which help protect them until they can be vaccinated. "The flu is a highly infectious virus and can be especially serious for the very young, those with certain medical conditions, and pregnant women," said Richard N. Waldman, MD, president of The College. "Pregnant women were disproportionately affected by flu complications last year?some went into premature labor, some developed pneumonia, and unfortunately, some died." Vaccination early in the flu season is optimal, but can be given at any time during this period, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. The College advises that all women who are or become pregnant during the annual flu season (October through May) get the inactivated flu vaccine. Women can also receive the flu vaccine postpartum and while they are breastfeeding if they missed it during pregnancy. The live attenuated version of the flu vaccine (the nasal mist) should not be given to pregnant women. According to the CDC, the seasonal flu vaccine is made the same way each year. "The only difference from year to year is that new strains of virus are used to make the vaccine based on which are predicted to be most prevalent," said William M. Callaghan, MD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) liaison to The College's Committee on Obstetric Practice. There have been no studies showing adverse effects of the inactivated flu vaccine for pregnant women or their children, according to The College. "Millions of pregnant women have received the flu vaccine over the past 45 years, and no studies have shown harm to them or their babies," said Dr. Callaghan. Despite concerns about thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines, there is no scientific evidence that it causes harm to women or their infants. The only side effect is the occasional local skin reaction at the injection site. "There are seasonal flu vaccines that don't contain thimerosal, so people who remain concerned can ask for those," said Dr. Callaghan. Dr. Callaghan notes that The College's recommendation to increase the vaccination rate among pregnant women dovetails with the CDC's push for physicians to offer the flu vaccine to every patient age six months and older at every opportunity. Committee Opinion #468, "Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy," is published in the October 2010 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. # # # The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the nation's leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of approximately 55,000 members, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women's health care.

Good luck with your decision ladies....I hope & pray to be joining this board soon!!!

KDR1979 · September 2011

Your OB/CNM should recommend it since it is an ACOG (their professional organization) recommendation.

For Release:

September 21, 2010

All Pregnant Women Should Get the Flu Vaccine
Flu Prevention is Essential Prenatal Care

Washington, DC -- All pregnant women, regardless of trimester, should get the influenza vaccination during the flu season, according to new recommendations issued today by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and published in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The College emphasizes that preventing the flu during pregnancy is an essential element of prenatal care and that it is imperative that physicians, healthcare organizations, and public health officials improve their efforts to increase immunization rates among pregnant women. Last week, the CDC, along with The College and other medical organizations, encouraged all physicians and health care providers to urge their pregnant and postpartum patients to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Annual flu vaccination is crucial for pregnant women because the immune system changes during pregnancy, which results in women being at increased risk of serious complications if they get the flu. Flu vaccination performs double duty by protecting both pregnant women and their babies. Babies cannot be vaccinated against the flu until they are six months old, but they receive antibodies from their mother which help protect them until they can be vaccinated. "The flu is a highly infectious virus and can be especially serious for the very young, those with certain medical conditions, and pregnant women," said Richard N. Waldman, MD, president of The College. "Pregnant women were disproportionately affected by flu complications last year?some went into premature labor, some developed pneumonia, and unfortunately, some died." Vaccination early in the flu season is optimal, but can be given at any time during this period, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. The College advises that all women who are or become pregnant during the annual flu season (October through May) get the inactivated flu vaccine. Women can also receive the flu vaccine postpartum and while they are breastfeeding if they missed it during pregnancy. The live attenuated version of the flu vaccine (the nasal mist) should not be given to pregnant women. According to the CDC, the seasonal flu vaccine is made the same way each year. "The only difference from year to year is that new strains of virus are used to make the vaccine based on which are predicted to be most prevalent," said William M. Callaghan, MD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) liaison to The College's Committee on Obstetric Practice. There have been no studies showing adverse effects of the inactivated flu vaccine for pregnant women or their children, according to The College. "Millions of pregnant women have received the flu vaccine over the past 45 years, and no studies have shown harm to them or their babies," said Dr. Callaghan. Despite concerns about thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines, there is no scientific evidence that it causes harm to women or their infants. The only side effect is the occasional local skin reaction at the injection site. "There are seasonal flu vaccines that don't contain thimerosal, so people who remain concerned can ask for those," said Dr. Callaghan. Dr. Callaghan notes that The College's recommendation to increase the vaccination rate among pregnant women dovetails with the CDC's push for physicians to offer the flu vaccine to every patient age six months and older at every opportunity. Committee Opinion #468, "Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy," is published in the October 2010 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. # # # The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the nation's leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of approximately 55,000 members, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women's health care.

Good luck with your decision ladies....I hope & pray to be joining this board soon!!!

amers83010 · September 2011

I had one either late first tri or early second (I can't remember). I dont know why it hadn't crossed my mind that I'll need one this flu season. I'll get one once the girls are born.

halo_tx · September 2011

I will be getting one. I'm a teacher so I've gotten one every year for a while, and never had any reaction problems before. I feel like being around germy young kids I probably have a higher chance of getting it, and I do not want the flu while pregnant!

MrsVo · September 2011

My OB recommended I get one before the girls are born to pass on the immunity to them since they will be tiny during the flu season. I don't usually get one but I will this year for their sake.

andrea817 · September 2011

I had never gotten one until last winter b/c they were free at work, and I did not even get so much as one cold last winter. I don't know if that can be attributed to the shot, but I never had a healthier winter than I did last year. My OB strongly recommends it, and one of my friends is an ER physician who said he's seen pregnant women come in so extremely sick with the flu that they need to be hospitalized, so I don't want to take that risk.

jcath · September 2011

Here's the CDC site specifically about pregnancy and flu shots

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/pregnant.htm

It's important to remember that the flu shot is to protect you from getting the Influenza virus (and it's a complex process how they figure out which strain of the virus will be circulating and they don't always get it) so you may get other illness that we generally refer to as the "flu" or cold like symptoms but that's not a failure of the vaccine - that's a different virus.

jb2rn · September 2011

Echloe:
Flu shots are not BS! Sorry, but being a microbiologist who works at a germ laden University I can't understand how some of you could have never gotten a flu shot. I guess you are just really lucky. That or you have great immune systems.

Agreed. I won't be working at a hospital thus flu season, but I still can't imagine not getting one. Our hospital had a pregnant woman in the medical ICU last year with influenza. No thanks.

Sunshine05 · September 2011

I definitely plan on getting it just so I can hopefully pass along any antibodies to my baby before she's old enough to get her own.

love2b_mrst · September 2011

Sunshine05:
I definitely plan on getting it just so I can hopefully pass along any antibodies to my baby before she's old enough to get her own.

This. I don't usually get a flu shot, but I will get one this year to give my baby the antibodies to protect her when she's born.

gripgirl · September 2011

I'm not planning on getting a flu vaccine at this point. I don't like to artificially tamper with my immune system. Also studies have yet to show what the long term affects of using the flu vaccine are.. especially since not all of the ingredients used in them are not always disclosed.

Here is a link to a really good website that has all kinds of information on vaccines. Good luck with your decision

https://www.nvic.org/

katerena · September 2011

I'm getting one for sure.

eaellis04 · September 2011

I am definately getting a flu shot. I am a pediatric nurse and give vaccines on a daily basis. The flu shot (which is what is given to pregnant women, children under 2, and people with/are in contact with those compromised immune systems, or those with severe asthma) is a dead vaccine, whereas the nasal spray is a weakened version.

A common misconception is that the flu vaccine causes the flu--it doesn't. However, it is still possible to get the flu, as there are many different strains. The seasonal flu vaccines protects against the most common strains. Also, it takes several weeks for your immune system to respond to the vaccine, so if you are exposed to the flu virus during this time you can still get the flu.

I especially encourage pregnant women to get the vaccine! I also encourage those who will be coming in close contact with your baby to get the vaccine as well. Infants can't receive the flu vaccine until they are 6 months old, so it is our responsibility to protect them. A newborn or infant with the flu is very serious.

eaellis04 · September 2011

*definitely*--sorry for the typo!

jillmatheny · September 2011

I will definitely be getting one, I get one every year and they absolutely recommend them for pg women. Having the flu AND being pregnant or with a newborn would be a nightmare!

ChicagoWeded2007 · September 2011

Yes, I am getting the shot.

Swine flu and the regular flu kills pregnant women more often and swine flu can actually kill a pregnant woman pretty fast. So, I am more concerned about getting the flu than about unproven side effects of the flu shot.

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