Women's Vaccinations before TTC. Resources?

[JF1212]

Hi,

I'll be TTC next year and am wondering if anyone has any good resources or info on women's vaccines before TTC? There's so much info out there encouraging women to update their vaccines before TTC, and so much info on children and vaccines, but I can't find a natural health perspective on adult women and vaccines.

Thanks!

[xmasbaby7]

This was the process that got me researching vaxing in the beginning. I never had chicken pox and didn't show immunity to it, so I researched that vaccine and just couldn't bring myself to get it.

I had been trying so hard to make my body as healthy and toxin free as possible by the food I was eating, products I was using, I just couldn't justify it.

If in my 35 years I hadn't gotten chicken pox, whose to say I was going to find it over the next few months, you know?

I remember posting to this board asking moms what they would do about getting the vaccine, and most people said no way. I thought they were kind of crazy even. Now having had so much more research under my belt, I say no way, too.

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

The only diseases i would even worry about are chicken pox, rubella, and flu. For CP and Rubella, you can have your titers checked to see if you are immune (or maybe you already know that you had CP as a child). I would do that for my own information, though-- I probably would not get the vax even if I did not have sufficient immunity. The Rubella vax in particular has a high rate of reaction for adult women. Vax enthusiasts are always talking about the risk of rubella and CP during pregnancy (and of course there is a risk!) but there are other diseases that can cause fetal harm, too, (like 5th Disease)-- you never hear anyone talking about that one, because... there's no vax to "save" us.
I read a study while I was pregnant (very reassuring!) that babies exposed to flu in utero had a much higher risk of schizophrenia later in life. Here's the link: http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/...es/000458.html
This site, of course, urges mothers to get the flu shot. But... uh... if having the disease causes schiz, then is it inconceivable that the shot might do the same thing? No way would I get the flu shot while pregnant. I would, however, be militant about handwashing and avoid crowded areas as much as possible.

[xmasbaby7]

Just to chime in again, to the point that there are other infections potentially dangerous for pregnant women that have no vaxes, you'll go much further building a healthy baby by eliminating white sugar and flour from your diet, eating organic produce and dairy, and building up your omega 3's through fish and flax oils than getting vaccines.

How healthy are you now? How often do you get sick? How well are you nourishing your immune system through diet, sleep, and cardio exercise? All of us can always kick these factors up a notch and are critical in the year before you try to conceive and breastfeed.

[luvmi4]

Originally Posted by xmasbaby7

Jyou'll go much further building a healthy baby by eliminating white sugar and flour from your diet, eating organic produce and dairy, and building up your omega 3's through fish and flax oils than getting vaccines.

Would you mind showing the studies that show reducing sugar and flour and eating organically provides better protection against the flu than the vaccine? I have never heard this! I'm trying to decide if my family will receive the shot this year. Thank you!

[xmasbaby7]

I am talking about overall boost to the immune system to function at its best for bacterial or viral infections.

You are what you eat.

If this thinking seems rather new to you, I suggest reading the nutrition stickies at the top that are filled with numerous links to studies showing the importance of various vitamins and minerals.


It is important to ensure that you eat enough omega 3's to nourish the T cells, the "captains" of your immune system while taking vitamin C to enable your body to absorb it best.

Cardio exercise has also been proven to reduce frequency of illness by truly increasing your heart rate (which requires a heart rate monitor to know for sure you are working hard enough). This was done either by Duke or UT Austin (can't remember) but I read it in a journal, not online. The study found that from a dramatic increase of the heart rate, the body undergoes a flushing out, detoxifying process that it doesn't repeat under other circumstances. The cardio group did better than group just who ate well, which surprised me, annoyed me a little, and got my butt to the gym more.

[leila1213]

www.preconceptionhealth.org

[ZoeyZoo]

Check out this thread too. There were a couple of good links posted re the flu vax.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=962683

[JF1212]

Thanks!

Thanks for all your posts! I feel better about my leanings of not getting them. As a former birth doula and someone who would like to have a natural homebirth/waterbirth, I do have a hard time justifying any vaccines, for myself or a child. I've had chicken pox and have only had the flu once in 10-15 years. The links and health diet reminders are much appreciated!

And, from what I can see, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome cases are incredibly, incredibly low, especially among non-immigrant women. If, statistically speaking, I got it while pregnant, I'd almost think it was meant to be, because that fluke would be amazing.