Risks of the Flu during pregnancy

[WhiteHorse]

Has anyone had the flu while they were pregnant? Are there any risks to the baby? My 15 yo is stricken at the moment and I am 15 wks preg. I am not sure it is the FLU flu but it's some sort of similar thing. I did not get the flu shot even though my ob pesters me about it. I have only had the flu once before, back in 1992. I guess there's nothing I can do about it, but just like to hear experiences.

[DanielleT]

I just read yesterday that influenza can cause fetal death in the first trimester...I have not and will not be getting the flu shot, and nor is my family!

[AFWife]

Don't quote me on this...but I think that fever and dehydration would be your biggest fears with illness during pregnancy.

[Adamsmama]

I think there is a great risk in the late 2nd through 3rd trimester. The problem with the flu is secondary infections (like pneumonia) and lowered lung capacity.

[WifeofAnt]

Originally Posted by Adamsmama

I think there is a great risk in the late 2nd through 3rd trimester. The problem with the flu is secondary infections (like pneumonia) and lowered lung capacity.

One of the bigger threats is secondary infection. If you're not already taking vitamin D I would start taking it. 4000 IU daily is the amount shown to have the most benefit without adverse effect (most prenatals contain only 1/10 that).

[Mamatoabunch]

I had the flu w/ my last baby. I contracted it at 11 weeks, after an ER visit, to determine my bleeding. I had a subchorionic hemorrhage. I had fever, chills, but we made it through just fine, thankfully.

[Lady Lilya]

Take lots of vitamin D. Shortage of vitamin D is what makes us susceptible to the flu, and makes it hit us worse.

[*Eva*]

I had it twice with my last, once at 24 weeks and then again at 37 weeks. It sucked but we lived through it.

[WhiteHorse]

Ok, getting vit D tomorrow! Thanks.

[Lady Lilya]

WhiteHorse, the RDA for vitamin D is ridiculously low. It was determined decades ago, and is just enough to prevent rickets. Since then, they have discovered over 200 other processes that vitamin D is involved in. They are planning to revise the RDA to 1000IUs per 25 lbs of body weight per day. So let's say you weigh 150lbs, you'd need 6000IUs per day. Most vitamin D sups in the stores are only 400IUs! But online I found much larger dosage amounts. I like the brand Pure Encapsulations.

[rach03]

So would a 2000 IU gelcap be okay to take during pregnancy? I assume yes? That's what I have in our vitamin stash.

[WifeofAnt]

Originally Posted by rach03

So would a 2000 IU gelcap be okay to take during pregnancy? I assume yes? That's what I have in our vitamin stash.

I take 3 a day.

[Lyss]

Do you need vit. D supp even if you spend lots of time in the sun?

[Mamatoabunch]

I take 5000mg of vit D a day and yes even if you are in the sun a lot you can still be deficient.

[rach03]

Thank you WifeOfAnt!

[nova22]

Don't forget Vitamin C! My midwife/friend suggested *at least* 2000mg a day to ward off sickness.

She also recommended chicken broth - not something from a can but real broth that you make yourself. I'm hoping to roast a chicken tomorrow or Monday and then use the bones for broth.

[Lady Lilya]

Originally Posted by rach03

So would a 2000 IU gelcap be okay to take during pregnancy? I assume yes? That's what I have in our vitamin stash.

Unless you yourself only way a few ounces. It takes a HUGE amount of vitamin D to be toxic. A 2000 IU gelcap would be a daily dose for a 50lb person. I would take 3 of those per day because I am around 150 now.

If I were coming down with something, though, I would take 10X the daily dose for 3 days straight.

I know people who take 50,000 IUs every day of their life.

[lillymonster]

Originally Posted by Lyss

Do you need vit. D supp even if you spend lots of time in the sun?

Yes, my daughter was deficient even though we played outside every day : ( she was so deficient that she was on 50,000 iu per day for 8 weeks per doctors orders when she was 2. I think all kids have to be low because it's not like I didn't let her go outside. In fact she got a mild sunburn a few times

I have given her high amounts when she starts to sniffle, and I swear it goes away within half the day.

[Lady Lilya]

Originally Posted by Lyss

Do you need vit. D supp even if you spend lots of time in the sun?

Depends......are you nude sunbathing?

(Also keep in mind that the sun destroys the folate it comes in contact with, so in trying to get your D up you could drive your folate down.

Originally Posted by nova22

Don't forget Vitamin C! My midwife/friend suggested *at least* 2000mg a day to ward off sickness.

She also recommended chicken broth - not something from a can but real broth that you make yourself. I'm hoping to roast a chicken tomorrow or Monday and then use the bones for broth.

Everyone says vitamin C, so I don't worry about saying it. But I don't take it, because I seem to eat a diet high in it. I get overdose symptoms if I take it.

But there are ladies in the Health and Healing subforum that do a test to see how much vitamin C they need at any given point, and they generally find that they need 10s of thousands of mgs of it when sick.

About the chicken broth, it is because of all the nice minerals in the bones. It's a better electrolyte-balanced beverage than pedialyte or gatorade.

[WhiteHorse]

So, I am still curious - what are the risks of flu to the baby? Luckily, I still have not gotten the bug my teenager (and now 3 yo) had and are now over with. I don't think it was the FLU (too short and not enough respiratory symptoms, just mainly high fever and all-over aches for 3 days).

None of the literature I saw indicate Vit D as a flu preventative (not arguing just wondering why I didn't see it).