Flu shot? « Back to Group Discussions

[Eilis]

I will ask my midwife if she thinks I should get a flu shot. I wish I'd gotten one in Oct. before I got pregnant, but it did not occur to me. All the mainstream health websites say flu shot will not harm baby and that it is highly recommended. What do you guys think? Who has gotten a flu shot while pregnant?

[SunnyMuffin]

Nope! I'm a nurse and I normally get one because I'm forced to but I wasn't working this year and then I got pregnant. I won't get it when I'm pregnant

[Eilis]

Originally Posted by SunnyMuffin 

Nope! I'm a nurse and I normally get one because I'm forced to but I wasn't working this year and then I got pregnant. I won't get it when I'm pregnant

Thank you for the reply! Why do you think it is a bad idea to get flu shot while you are pregnant? I want to understand the case for and against...

[dayiscoming2006]

I personally wouldn't do it. There's no evidence of/research on it's safety during pregnancy. And the efficacy of flu shots is pretty low from what I've read. It will protect from a few old strains. Heard of many actually getting the flu after the vaccine as well. Could go searching for article's but, just google safety of flu vaccines in pregnancy and you'll find some of what I'm saying. Of course you'll also find articles that are for it, but typically the flu isn't some major thing, it sucks, but yeah. 

[skycheattraffic]

I don't get flu shots at all. I'm not anti vax but there are so many strains of the flu that it's not terribly likely to protect me from whatever new bug DH brings home. I am healthy and reasonably young and basically expect to get sick occasionally. If I was in a high risk group I might feel completely different but as it is, I don't find it to be necessary. I also hesitate to take anything but the most necessary medication during pregnancy and nursing.

[InLove2009]

I got it. I always get it. I have a friend who did not get one when she was pregnant, and she got the flu when she was pregnant, and she almost died. That is an extreme, rare case though! But my personal connection to her scared me enough to not even question it. I am sure there are many women who get the flu when they are pregnant and they are perfectly fine and don't get any sicker as they would if they weren't pregnant. Kind of like how some people get the flu worse than others..... But, it was free so I thought why not. I think it is a personal decision. If you google dangers of flu shot during pregnancies you will friend thousands of horror stories. But, if you google benefit of flu shot during pregnancy, you will find thousands of recommendations. I would do what you said and ask your midwife and what she recommends. Flu season is almost over too.

[rainbownurse]

I don't get it, not because I don't think it is safe, just because the efficacy is so low. The flu strain going around this year is also one that doesn't appear to be covered by the flu shot. We've had a lot of people come in to my hospital that have the flu and have gotten their flu shots. 

[southernmommie]

There is a website vactruth.org that states the flu vaccine increases the fetal death rate to 4,250% in pregnant women.

[Ruheling]

I get the shot, my ob/gyn gets the shot, and my immunologist SIL gets the shot.

[Chipi]

They have never tested the effects of flu shots on pregnant women because it is unethical to test pregnant women. That alone is enough for me to NOT get it. The chemicals in a flu shot are what I'm more worried about. 

[SunnyMuffin]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/flu-shot-policy-for-health-care-workers-sparks-backlash/article5547136/

This is actually happening where I live.  Luckily this is year 1 of their pilot project and because of that there are no consequences for noncompliance. 

[yallcomeback]

Absolutely no vaccines for me while pregnant, or ever, but especially not pregnant!

[g&a]

I heard about that policy on the news (I'm in AB), SunnyMuffin, and wondered what healthcare workers had to say about it.  Is there much opposition?  I could see this being a problem for a lot of people.

[rainbownurse]

There's a ton of opposition from the healthcare workers and the unions. 

[lolliegee]

That's just wrong. People should always have a choice about what goes into their body.

[rainbownurse]

oh, we have a choice. But if we choose not do, we have to wear a mask and a sticker that says "I didn't get my flu shot"
Side note-the influenza is incredibly bad this year, especially in long term care facilities, so be careful to all you ladies and families out there. Wash your hands, stay home if you are sick and ask people not to visit if they or a loved one has been sick recently

[dayiscoming2006]

^ that is really dumb considering lots of people who get the flu shot, still get a different strain of the flu. Or, sometimes even the flu shot can make them sick. 

[lolliegee]

Yeah, I agree, that's lame.

[heyitskalista]

No flu shot here.  We use other methods to prevent us from getting sick (healthy diet, lots of hand washing, avoiding sick people, etc.)...so far so good! :)
 

[Eilis]

I saw my midwife yesterday and she said that even though CDC wants all pregnant women to get flu shot, her practice does not "urge" the flu shot on their pregnant patients. She added that if she personally were 13 weeks pregnant, she would definitely not get the flu shot. She mentioned concerns about unknown/possible side effects but nothing specific. She said if I don't get the flu shot and I start to feel sick, I need to immediately go to my primary care doctor and get tamiflu (if I have the flu). She considers tamiflu to be safer than flu shot.

I am sure tamiflu's safety can also be debated but I trust my midwife and am going to chill out, wash my hands a bunch, stay away from sick people and take tamiflu if I happen to get the flu. It's a plan!