Pertussis vaccine OR how do we protect our babies - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[hansigurumi]

I received my DTaP booster at 22 weeks.  Not ideal, but it's apparently considered safe after 20 weeks.  Also, anything is better than potentially getting pertussis during pregnancy.  Honestly, I should have gotten all these boosters at my preconception appointment, but my doc wasn't really on top of this (she only tested for things that I asked about, like my TSH levels, rubella antibodies, toxoplasmosis immunity status, etc; I wasn't thinking about pertussis at the time).

Rubella is the other one that scares me.  It can apparently cause miscarriages, stillbirths, congenital defects, etc.  :<

[springmum]

I agree Angel - I wish it was more black & white.

I actually believe in the idea of vaccines - for more serious diseases. What I have issues with is the safety.

Maybe it's b/c of my son's experience and others I know (seizures etc) or maybe it's b/c I know that the drug companies are not completely honest and just out to make $$ (there's a thread in the vax forum about Merk being sued by employees for falsifying Mumps efficacy) I look at all the safety tested vaccines that they have put out in the past (old DTP etc) then recalled b/c it turns out they did more harm then good. What about the ones out there now - are they brushing all the side effects under the carpet to keep the vaccine out there?

I really would love to know that I could give my son the vaccine for this and know that he would be okay and be reasonably well covered (yes, I've read it takes 4 shots as well), but I have doubts about both and it's so frustrating! I don't like the scare tactics and threats - I have personal scary stories to tell for weeks about vax's & VPD's - I want the facts. But who has the facts - the drug companies out to sell their products, or the anti-vax community out to dispute everything they say? 

In the end we all have to make informed choices for our families, based on all the info we can get. Then we have to trust that our decisions were the right ones and do the best to keep our families healthy. 

I will say, I don't think there is anything wrong with asking extended family to stay away while they have ANY cold symptoms (but can visit otherwise). As for family in the house, you just have to deal with it as it comes. No reason to panic, but no reason to increase exposure just to make someone else happy.

Does anyone have any good info about the TDaP while breastfeeding? I know it's recommended by the medical side, but I'm wondering about the toxins getting passed through breastmilk. Breasmilk happens to be a good exit for many other toxins, and so I'm wondering about the extra vax ingredients (aluminum etc) 

Will others be getting it while breastfeeding?

[icy02]

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/tdap-vaccine-pushed-on-pregnant-women-despite-fetal-risks/

This is a great article to check out. I'm not about to start the vaccine debate here, but as a PP stated, vaccination is NOT the best way to protect your baby. I really believe that. In fact the DTaP vaccine carries very high risks/side effects.

[skinnyloveBC]

As a combination journalist and technical editor (I edit scientific manuscripts before they go to the publisher) with a degree in biomedical sciences, I have to say that the best way to educate yourself on a topic such as vaccination isn't to read synthesized opinions. Instead, simply go to Google Scholar and type in "DTaP vaccine pregnant women" and read the actual study findings. It's not necessary to read through the entire write-up; look to the Abstract, Results and Conclusions for the salient findings.

This way, you get your information from the source rather than trusting a middle man (be it a credible journalist or a blogger--there is a difference) to completely and accurately translate the results.

[catheleni]

Wow, I'm so confused now, but definitely leaning towards NOT getting it now, at 27 weeks.

But here's the thing: the midwife, who is part of an established practice, and has been doing it 20 years, raised the issue.  She said she's known of two serious hospitalizations with babies they've delivered.

I thought the compromise was getting it before I left for the hospital.

But this is our first, and I know darn well that no one is going to want to be kept from her!

What to do, what to do?!

[springmum]

I would agree that as a class C drug - I'm not getting it while pregnant. 

That's why I was wondering about post-partum too. I'm not fining any easy answers about toxins being passed through breastmilk (as we know other toxins are, so that's why it has me wondering) 

I'm experienced with some research courses, so I don't mind taking apart some good peer reviewed studies either :)

[dogretro]

We do vaccinate and I would NOT get a vaccine while pregnant. Pregnancy is a temporary condition, a vaccine can wait until it's over, even immediately after it's over. Unless there was some kind of zombie-like flue epidemic, then I would get that flu vaccine. Otherwise, I'm just not comfortable w/ the idea AT ALL. I still need to get my chicken pox vaccine. I never got the boosters and have no desire to contract that as an adult.

IDK about toxins and breastfeeding, nor did I think about it. That was four years ago for me, what's done is long done.

[Chrisa]

Originally Posted by dogretro 

You can't, esp if this is your first child. They will point out every other family who take their newborns out willy-nilly without assuming dire consequences. My mom was at the hospital when dd1 was born. She would have DIED if I had told her that she couldn't see dd1 for months b/c she *might* get her ill. DH goes to work every day, he might get us ill, but he cannot stop working. We talked about him getting the H1N1 vaccine two years ago to protect us while I was pg & dd2 was tiny, but it never got that bad around here, so he didn't (but he would have). A lot changes between kiddo #1 and kiddo #3. What will you do about winter holidays??

If you are giving birth in a hospital, you can ask them for your DTaP booster after your baby is born & they will give it to you there. Get it in your butt, it doesn't hurt v much :)

It would be a whole lot easier if the vaccine issue was black & white. I mean, measles, my kids probably won't die, but I'm not willing to risk an iron lung, kwim?

Yes, but with DH, I can implement my germophobic precautions - when coming back from work, he will wash his hands & face and change clothes before coming close to the baby. I'm very adamant about that.

With family, who live far from us, I will try my best to postpone their visit, and explain the situation the best way I can. My SIL gets sick all the time, and ALWAYS after a plane trip.

This and RSV are a serious concern for me, especially since my baby might be preterm. Between the risk of pertusis affecting my child and ILs' feelings getting hurt, I'll chose the latter.

[Chrisa]

Originally Posted by icy02 

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/tdap-vaccine-pushed-on-pregnant-women-despite-fetal-risks/
This is a great article to check out. I'm not about to start the vaccine debate here, but as a PP stated, vaccination is NOT the best way to protect your baby. I really believe that. In fact the DTaP vaccine carries very high risks/side effects.

I probably would not do the booster myself, unless there's a major outbreak in our area that make it worth taking the risk. I had pertussis as a child, although I realize my immunity has waned by now.

But the author's argument is faulty. She lost me when she compared the single booster with SSR drugs, which are a different type of medication for long-term treatment, thus discounting the cumulative effect.  Many women have to take "Category C" drugs during pregnancy because the risk of not using them are too great. I take one now for preterm labor, because the risks a micropreemie would have are much more scary then the the medication might cause. 

[Chrisa]

Originally Posted by Angelorum 

So, I admit I haven't looked myself for where exactly this information is, but this post (by a poster who seems to know her stuff) talks about "full" protection from pertussis only being after the 4th shot (which is sometime between 12 and 18 mo on the recommended schedule).  The old pertussis vaccine (DTP) was a 3 shot series, and the DT in the DTaP is still a 3 shot series, but the aP needs the 4th shot.

Also, there's some talk about the pertussis vaccine going on in the Sept DDC too http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1356261/whooping-cough-vaccinations

Thanks for posting this - very informative. I wish they had a separate DTP, it makes so much sense. This commingling of vaccines doesn't make things easy for those who want delayed & selective vax.

[hansigurumi]

I will have to talk to my naturopath about getting some of these vaccines separately after baby is born.  Back in the day, every part was separate, and now they lump all these things together, even when certain parts are riskier than others.  Ugh.  

Also, pertussis was going around WA state, and I was nervous enough about it that I didn't want to risk not having immunity.   

[micromama]

I am living this dilemma right now too. We are a no-vax family, at least right now (due to some autoimmunity and MTHFR mutations that run in the family) and I don't see that stance changing for us for a while, although I appreciate what a sensitive subject this is and how difficult these decisions can be. I worry about pertussis too. We live in Seattle which is currently undergoing a widespread outbreak. I am going to boost immunity through breastmilk, diet and keeping sick people away, as much as possible, when this child is born. My older daughter had 2 DTAP shots at 2 and 4 months and then we stopped when we discovered certain things about our health histories... so she is not protected either, but I worry less about her as she is over 2 now and better able to deal with something like this than a newborn.

I did read recently (can't remember where, but my naturopath sent me an article) that breastmilk does offer some whooping cough protection, but the extent of that protection isn't well studied or understood. Thought it was interesting.

[dogretro]

This article was just on Yahoo! this morning: http://news.yahoo.com/u-whooping-cough-outbreak-could-worst-half-century-051355523.html

The other week, I was afraid my kids had come down w/ pertussis, but they hadn't. Only one developed a cough that went away on it's own w/in a week. The scary thing I learned about pertussis is that those who are vaccinated can still get it, it just won't be as severe a case as someone who is unvaccinated. During the first two weeks is when someone is most contagious and that is the time when pertussis still presents as only a persistent cough. UGH. That is probably why so many people are getting sick, it's not fully preventable. Not that any vpd's are preventable, but some certainly have a higher rate, such as polio.

The best part is, we are planning on sending dd1 to full-time public preschool this fall. GREAT. We need her to go b/c of persistent behavior problems. The kids and I are caught up on our DTaPs & I'm going to talk to dh about getting a booster. Other than that and regular illness prevention, I don't think there is a whole lot more we can do. If we weren't having such a hard time w/ dd1, I would nix preschool, but we have agreed that we really need the help. *sigh* No one w/ a cough is allowed in my house, lol.