yet ANOTHER vax!?

[amberg007]

watching the morning news and they just said that there is a new vax being developed for infants! CMV vax? anyone hear of this? "it can cut the risk in 1/2(I didnt catch for what), and last 3 yrs" Are they serious? oh yeah, Lets inject more unnecessary junk into our babies, what a great idea! ARgh!

[macha10]

From my very minimal research (done right now) it seems that those most at risk for this disease are unborn babies and those with weakened immune systems (I suppose newborns/infants would qualify here).

In addition to giving to babies, I fear that this new vaccine would be another thing they "require" pregnant women to get. It apparently can cause birth defects in babies, and can be passed from mother to fetus. Wasn't something I ever heard talked about being a concern for pregnant women, but if there becomes a vaccine available I am sure we will hear about how horribly deadly and common it is.

[macha10]

Would they allow/recommend pregnant women to get vaccines? Do they recommend flu shots for pregnant women, for instance?

I guess they would: Also of interest:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=98635

[Sileree]

So CMV = cytomegalovirus

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by macha10

Would they allow/recommend pregnant women to get vaccines? Do they recommend flu shots for pregnant women, for instance?

I guess they would: Also of interest:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=98635

Yes, they actually PUSH that pregnant women get the flu vax... I didn't understand how pumping my system full of viruses (dead or otherwise) was supposed to be GOOD for my baby.

[kiara7]

Yes, flu shot is pushed on everyone. Not only dead viruses, but full dose of mercury and aluminum too. That must be very good for unborn babies.

Didn't they say that flu shot for pregnant women will protect babies after they are born?

[macha10]

I guess I lucked out. My baby was born in September, so I wasn't offered the flu shot. Also went to "med"-wives, but they might have suggested it in winter.

[larkedyflarp]

They asked me every week if I was getting flu shot with my son, he was born in November. It was the nurses though, my OB asked once and never brought it up again.

Before my son's pregnancy I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks and when I went in, because I was scared of what was happening the first thing they asked is if I had had a flu shot as though the flu shot causes miscarriages. I knew after that that I would most definitely NEVER get a flu shot while pregnant, now I know I never will regardless. I hadn't had a flu shot though by the way, but I did take note of the question.

A friend I had had a sister that was exposed to CMV while pregnant and her daughter was born at about 6 months gestation, then they gave the baby medicine for something which caused her to be deaf, it was a side effect of the drug. The baby just past when she was about three years old. She was never able to really do anything but she was greatly loved.

It is my understanding that it's spread from when a pregnant mom touches infected dirty diapers and then doesn't wash her hands and eats or something. My friend's sister worked in a really nasty hospital while pregnant.

I'm not getting a CMV vaccine next time I'm pregnant I know that!!

[nia82]

I read about CMV in the What to expect book (yeah nasty book I know). When I was ready to conceive, I asked my obgyn to test me for 5th disease titers, toxoplasmosis (we've got a feline!) and CMV. She said ok, but don't do CMV, it's unnecessary. It is a STD and unless you have had lots of partners with unprotected intercourse, it is highly unlikely. So I skipped the test.
Funny how they are now shifting to saying how awfully often it occurs. I'm sure it is awful when you have it throughout pregnancy and it results in a sick child, however the hype they are trying to establish is overkill.
I wouldn't get the shot ever. I don't get shots at all anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytomeg...and_prevention

Yes, it can be spread through feces as well...

[taterbug1999]

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...galovirus.html

Okay here's what I found....it is not truly an STD although I guess it could be spread that way if you were intimate with an infected person. Same as a babe could pick it up passing through the birth canal of an infected mother.

POINT BEING.....
It is a common disease of childhood, same as measles, pox, etc., etc, have been in the past. If you read the article, even if you pass it to a babe in utero, the odds of complications are slim. As with so many of these "childhood" diseases, if you get it for the first time as an adult, it's a whole lot tougher. I have a friend whose dh got it in his late 20's. Took them forever to diagnose, and he was sick as a dog for a long time. They didn't even look for it at first cause it's so rare not to have already had it as a child. Article states 50-85% of us have it by the time we're 40.

BUT AS USUAL, the medical world sees no benefit in following mother nature's design and letting the body do what it does best. They want to vax in order to avoid it all together. Which never works out very well. In my crystal ball, I see this becoming just like the pox vax. Because kids will be vaxed down the road (and they will make this manditory eventually), adults will lose their immunity and we will begin paying for not letting the natural world function as it was intended. Just as we are seeing a rise in shingles now, we will see CMV become a problem for adults.

Seriously, why the heck can't we as humans just leave well enough alone? I have long made peace with the fact that death is part of the cycle of life. When allopathic medicine makes peace with that too we may see some changes.

I don't plan to live forever and I sure as heck don't want to!

[LavenderMae]

I recently researched CMV a little. From what I read most little ones have been exposed (by a young age but it escapes me exactly what age right now) and are just fine. My sister and nephew both had to be tested for it because he's still breastfeeding and is going through chemo (for T-cell ALL) and CMV would be dangerous for him. If he hadn't already been exposed and my sister was a carrier (maybe not exactly right but close enough) she would have had to wean him. Thank goodness he had already been exposed because breastfeeding is very important to both of them right now.

Also from what I read it's a minor childhood disease usually.

[MamatoPeach]

I had a patient with CMV before i was pregnant with #2, so I rubbed myself in it hoping to get immunity before pregnancy. Not sure if it worked because you don't show signs of the illness.

Had another pt with congenital CMV, she was very sick. They treated her with Chemo, which has very bad side effects. Not sure how she is, I think she is still very sick still.

You just have to be smart. Wash your hands after changing a diaper.

[ema-adama]

A CMV vaccine to prevent congenital infections, neurologic damage, and deafness should remain a high priority, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine. To accomplish this goal, the strong support of government agencies will be required.

Underlining mine
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi...10.1086/421999

Conflict of interest.S.P. is a consultant to Aventis Pasteur, which is developing a vaccine against CMV. A.M.A. is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Medimmune, which has a candidate CMV vaccine in testing. P.F., M.M., and R.R.: No conflict.

An interesting read. I remember when I was about 20 weeks pregnant a patient of mine in ICU was tested positive. I was reassured that the risk is highest in the first trimester, and he was taken off my patient list.

Interestingly I was tested here in Israel right at the begining of my pregnancy.