Flu/H1N1 Shots During Pregnancy?

[Freeman]

My OB mentioned that I should get the Flu Shot and H1N1 shot b/c (1) pregnant women are at higher risk of developing serious complications; (2) since I am pregnant with multiples, I am at higher risk for having preemies, who would be more suseptible to serious complications from the flu; and (3) since I am planning on breastfeeding, the babies would receive the antibodies through breast milk as well as through the placenta. The discussion was basically moot, as they didn't have the shots in stock (yet), but really I had not considered getting either. I have not gotten the flu since high school and have never gotten a flu shot. As far as H1N1 goes, I feel that the vaccine was rushed through & that not enough is known about it. However, the doctor said that it is just a variation of the flu shot, just as the flu shot changes each year to match the new strains of the flu. Since I am pg., I would not be getting the vaccine with the live virus anyway. . . etc., etc. OB feels that amy minimal risks would be outweighed by the benefit of getting the shots. Am I alone in thinking that it's not necessary? Have others pg with multiples gotten the shots, or do you plan to get the shots?

[nummies]

No, I won't be getting either one.

[Molliejo]

I am about 21 weeks with twins and I do not plan on getting the shot. I agree that it seems as if it was rushed to be made. Dr. Sears says that even the regular flu shot has not had proper testing on pregnant women, and that makes me even more wary of the h1n1 shot.

I am just planning on staying home a lot and eating well to try and stay healthy.

[Intertwined]

There was little to no testing done on pregnant women. It is NOT just a variation of the regular flu shot. It contains adjuvants which are NOT approved by the FDA for use in vaccines.

http://swineflu.mercola.com/sites/ar...Emergency.aspx

[dknees]

DRIVE BY POST (pumping)

i read on the h1n1 oct thread (vax forum), that dr. sears (?) was saying that any antibodies you get from the shot would NOT come through breastmilk, fwiw.

i would not get the shot, too risky too inject that stuff....

[DeerMother]

Check out the mdc special report on h1n1 http://mothering.com/health/swine-flu or just look for it at the announcements at the top of the page. There is some info about the vaccine and pregnancy.

When I was preg two years ago, they didn't even offer me the normal seasonal flu shot (not that I would have got it). I do think that there is cause to be concerned about this strain, I know a lot of people who have it, but I also think that there is a lot of hype. I'd also be wary of a dr. who says that there are minimal risks from this vaccine.

[Freeman]

This page has some interesting info. on the shots:

http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/

[2boyzmama]

Originally Posted by Intertwined

There was little to no testing done on pregnant women. It is NOT just a variation of the regular flu shot. It contains adjuvants which are NOT approved by the FDA for use in vaccines.

http://swineflu.mercola.com/sites/ar...Emergency.aspx

just to clarify...there are no adjuvants in the US version, the quote in the link you provided was the Swedish version.

[Intertwined]

Originally Posted by 2boyzmama

just to clarify...there are no adjuvants in the US version, the quote in the link you provided was the Swedish version.

Ah, you're totally right. I just did some more digging and learned that those vaccines are being used in the EU and China (not sure if the OP is in the US?)

They aren't sure if the new national emergency will allow the use of these adjuvants in our vaccines or if it will require another specific order from the President. I am glad they are not yet used in our vaccines although still not thrilled with the ingredient list nor how little testing has been done.

[CarrieCo]

I'm definitely not getting it! IMO, a little bit of poison is not ok. Both the flu shot and H1N1 contain Thermerisol .... aka mercury. The ob will gladly warn you about eating certain fish b/c of the mercury content, but then turn around and ask you to get two shots with it?! Also, the fact that you probably won't be able to get the h1n1 shot before it has affected most of the ppl that will be affected. Less than 1% of the population will be hospitalized from h1n1.


Here's what I'm doing to stay healthy:

-regularly visiting the chiropractor
-taking probiotics
-taking a complete vitamin, and floradix
-hand washing
-asking others to wash their hands when they come in my home
-lots of sleep!
-lots of water
-cut out sugar
-disinfected door knobs, light switches, telephones, remote controls
-I plan on taking my own bottle of hand sanitizer to the hospital for guests to use while visiting.
-ask my husband to regularly disinfect his keyboard at work, etc., etc.

[ZoeyZoo]

I would go visit the vax forum in health and healthing. This has been posted several times there and there are some interesting links and statistics on the subject.

[Valerieg]

I got it and I'm glad I did as one [distant] family member has died and another (niece) was hospitalized. Last Thursday they thought my DD had H1N1 and the stress, the testing, etc. just wasn't good. I didn't think the stress of every time my kids got a fever w/ symptoms would be any good either.

[maygee]

Originally Posted by CarrieCo

I'm definitely not getting it! IMO, a little bit of poison is not ok. Both the flu shot and H1N1 contain Thermerisol .... aka mercury. The ob will gladly warn you about eating certain fish b/c of the mercury content, but then turn around and ask you to get two shots with it?! Also, the fact that you probably won't be able to get the h1n1 shot before it has affected most of the ppl that will be affected. Less than 1% of the population will be hospitalized from h1n1.


Here's what I'm doing to stay healthy:

-regularly visiting the chiropractor
-taking probiotics
-taking a complete vitamin, and floradix
-hand washing
-asking others to wash their hands when they come in my home
-lots of sleep!
-lots of water
-cut out sugar
-disinfected door knobs, light switches, telephones, remote controls
-I plan on taking my own bottle of hand sanitizer to the hospital for guests to use while visiting.
-ask my husband to regularly disinfect his keyboard at work, etc., etc.

Crashing your forum, but saw this in new posts and wanted to add my two cents.

1. There is a single dose version of the vaccine that is thimerosal free. I'm not sure of the availability but it is being produced. The multidose version has a very small amount of thimerosal. Of that thimerosal, 49 percent of it is ethylmercury, NOT methylmercury.
2. The "mercury" in the vaccine is a totally different molecule (ethylmercury) than the mercury in fish (methylmercury) and has been found to be excreted from the body and NOT bioaccumulate. It's molecule size is much smaller and isn't stored like the other form.
3. H1n1 is commonly transmitted through droplets in the air, as opposed to surfaces, so handwashing and disinfecting aren't as preventative as they are in preventing transmission of colds. Studies have also found that people are contagious much longer than "24 hours after the fever breaks" as they are recommending, continuing days after people return to work and school.

Looking at across the board risks, the flu poses much more of a danger to pregnant women than the vaccine. It's a dificult choice either way, but I'm pregnant and will absolutely get the vaccine for myself and my child.

[Hilarigh]

I'm 15 weeks pg with twins and will not be getting either the seasonal or swine flu shots. I, like the OP, haven't had the flu since high school, maybe even b4 then, and never get the flu shot. I found an herbal alternative to help boost my immune system that is safe for pg women and I'd rather enhance my immune system naturally than have dead viruses injected into me.

I know people are dying/have died from complications from seasonal flu and
H1N1 but I wonder whether the massive amount of vaccine exposure in the US population has critically weakened people's ability to mount an effective immune response to new infections like H1N1 or even the different strains of seasonal flu that come around each year.

[Valerieg]

Originally Posted by Hilarigh

I wonder whether the massive amount of vaccine exposure in the US population has critically weakened people's ability to mount an effective immune response to new infections like H1N1 or even the different strains of seasonal flu that come around each year.

Absolutely! I feel the same way. If I weren't PG there's no way I'd have gotten the H1N1 vax. I think we are overvaxed in general.

[amnesiac]

This thread has been moved from our multiples forum. Because the Vax forum is not currently accepting any new H1N1 discussions at this time, I am closing this thread but we would love to invite all of you to join our existing pregnancy thread: http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1117215

Please check out the Vax forum guidelines sticky if you are not familiar with this forum. Feel free to PM any questions.