Swine flu Vaccine

[Sita]

Hi Girls,

Have any of you had the swine flu vaccine yet ?

My GP is recommending it but I am still not sure about taking it. Do you know of any girls who have taken it and had babies yet? As it is still not fully tested, I am really scared.

My mother was telling me that I used to react adversely when I took major vaccines so I don't want to risk my baby and me by taking the vaccine. I am hoping to stop work next week so will be at home..so I am thinking I won't be that exposed...

Will love to hear your views...

Thanks,
Sita

[JG_379]

Sita- I got the H1N1 vaccine three weeks ago. Although I haven't had the babies yet, I have had ultrasounds since and everything looks fine. They say that it takes 2 weeks to become fully effective. I was torn about it too, but my RE and OB and Maternal Fetal Specialist all highly recommended it and there have been pregnant women and their babies dying from contracting swine flu, so I thought the risk was worth it.

[albany07]

You may want to look at some statistics for swine flu prevalence in your area. I am not sure what the organization would be in London, but we have the Center for Disease Control CDC. This may help you in your decision making and estimating your exposure risk.

Wishing you luck, I have not made a decision yet. I know it will be a difficult one, considering everything we went through to get to this stage in our lives. I know there is nothing I would want to do to jeopardize the wonderful life growing inside!

You are almost there!!! Congratulations on your babe and cherish every last moment of your pregnancy!

[Sita]

Thanks albany07 and JG_379 and Congrautlations to both of you on getting pregnant. I know what a journey it has been to get here so I am sure you are thrilled..

I hear that the vaccine provides antibodies for the baby too. Some girls at my antenatal class have also taken it but as you say..it has been such a journey for us who have had to go through IVF to get here..we need to think so much before making this decision.

Thanks Albany, I will try and look up some websites to see if I can find out anything about the prevelance in the area I live in..

JG_379, did you have pain in the arm after you had the injection ?

Hope you are enjoying your pregnancy..

Love,
Sita

[JG_379]

sita- you're right, getting the swine flu vaccine does give your baby the antibodies for post-birth. It may be a good reason to get it, considering you'll probably have a lot of visitors and people handling the baby. I did have pain in my arm. There are two vaccines here in the US, the nasal spray (not recommended for pregnant women because it contains a small amount of the live virus) and the injection. The injection here is intramuscular, so it was sore for me for a few days, but that was it, there wasn't any pain from the vaccine itself, just from the type of injection. Also, it didn't hurt at all when they gave me the injection, it was just sore the next day and a few days afterwards.

[Nicole79]

JG - Where did you get your vaccine? I hadn't heard that there was anywhere yet that had it without mercury. I think you were one of the northwest IL burbs girls...I'm in Elgin...

[JG_379]

Nicole-
Hilarious, i'm in Elgin too! I got my regular flu shot (without Mercury) from Walgreens, I just told them I was pregnant and they gave me the one without mercury (I think the additive is called thermisol). I got my H1N1 vaccine through my OB in Elgin (Fox Valley Women's Healthcare) and that vaccine did not contain mercury either. I work at Harper College in Palatine and I just went over and asked our Health Services and they did say that the mercury free ones are available, you just need a doctor's note. I should say that before I got my shot through my OB, I had scheduled one through Kane County. I asked them if the vaccine was mercury-free and they told me that they'd call me back, but then they never did, so i'm not sure if the vaccines that the county offers are mercury-free. I know that my work offers the vaccine without thermisol (I work for a community college), but i'm wondering if maybe ECC would offer it?

Jen

[deftonesmo]

aloha . . .
I got my h1n1 vaccine a few weeks ago at a public health clinic . . . got in the priority line and only had to wait an hour =)

I received the mercury free shot . . . I heard that they are scaling back public health clinics and sending more vaccines to private physicians . . . I got the vaccine because I heard one too many stories of pregnant women dying from the swine flu . . . better the be safe than sorry =)

[DillysGirl]

I too am on the fence about the shot. I am leaning towards not getting it though. I dont work outside the home and take many precautions when leaving the house.

It worries me the lack of research done on the vaccine and no one knows if there are any long term effects on the babies or moms.

I will continue to talk to my OB about what is best and go from there, but so far, at least in my area, it's really not being pushed.

[me2009]

each year regular flu shot is not the same as the previous, ect..

each year it changes a bit, year to year.

the h1n1 is a combo of influenza a, swine and avian flu.

pregnant people are amoung the highest risk group from really bad things including DEATH!

i am a rn and was lucky to get the live virus before i became prego & started ivf. i was a bit worried about the live virus, but i was not prego.

i can't stress enough to any prego person to get it!!

you can always go to the cdc.gov for h1n1 info. they have some of the best info

[Nicole79]

Thanks for the info JG! That is funny we are both in Elgin! I've done some searching this morning with no good results except the County...guess maybe I'll go that route and just get it done. If they have the one good for preggos!