What is in the vaccine? Still undecided re long term effects

[bethan37]

I have read on here lots about the jab being ok and not being ill afterwards. This doesnt worry me but the long term effects on a baby does. Im 20 weeks pg and so unsure what to do.

What is in this vaccine, does anyone have any information on this?
Thanks

There are many different brands:
Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (Sanofi Pasteur), Influvac, Imuvac (Solvay) , Fluarix (GSK), Enzira (Wyeth), Agrippal, Begrivac, Fluvirin (Novartis), Intanza (Sanofi Pasteur MSD)...just to name a few.
They may contain traces of: formaldehyde & octoxinol 9, neomycin and polymixin, gentamicin, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and polysorbate 80, sodium deoxycholate, kanamycin, diethyleter, betapropriolactone, nonoxynol 9, and thiomersal.
I was most worried about thiomersal, so we've picked a thiomersal free vaccine. Apparently those include:
Inactivated Influenza vaccine (split virion), Intanza (Intradermal, split virion), Agrippal (Surface Antigen), Begrivac (Split virion), Enzira (Split Virion), CSL Biotherapies Generic Influenza vaccine, Imuvac (Surface Antigen, inactivated, sub-unit), Influvac (Surface Antigen, inactivated, sub-unit), and Fluarix (Split virion, inactivated).

Oh my goodness, this sounds complicated so i guess i phone the surgery and ask which vaccine they will be using and go from there. Why concerned with Thiomersal?

thiomersal is a mercury-containing compound

Thanks, I did look it up then call my doctor who was useless! I asked what was in the vaccine and what it was called and he was like does it matter? Reall annoyed me so i pushed it and said it would make a difference as to whether i had it or not. He said he would look it up and I could call on Monday.
I did phone the pharmacy who were more helpful and they said that I needed the name of the vaccine and i could order in one if needed.
What is the name of the thermisal free one? Sorry am googling and cant seem to find names out. Think i will have it done so want to choose a jab without this in and be educated on whats in them. Cant believe the drs attitude on it!

Oh sorry did you mean Sanofi Pasteur and others in brackets are the names of them?

So you had one from the bottom list?

look up "thiomersal controversy" on wikipedia.

and then have whatever your doctor's got.

you can get the package leaflet of the flu vaccine at your surgery. they might faff a bit, but they are obliged to hand it out if you want it. in the leaflet all ingerients are listed.

sorry that was a bit cryptic and wind-uppy. i went through this when i was pg and couldn't find any evidence supporting the theory that thiomersal in vaccines causes ill effects (i can't remember but think there was a suggested link to autism).

i decided that the risks of catching flu were much greater than any theoretical risk associated with the vaccine, so i had it and we're both fine (was 8 months pg when i got it, baby now 11 months).

a friend recently had her baby five weeks early because she caught swine flu. they're both fine, but i think it was lucky it all happened so late in her pregnancy.

thiomersal often is not in single dose vaccines.
it prevents the vaccine from getting contaminated with bacteria and is needed for example if they have a multiple dose vaccine in the surgery (10 doses in one vial for example).

I think id still ask for a thermisol free one, internet is a nightmare i mean found this link when looking up vaccines and it puts me off again!

www.druglib.com/trial/11/NCT01173211.html

bethan - the last paragraph in my first message lists the mercury-free vaccines. Cannot guarantee the info is 100% accurate but all I could do was research it myself. I agree pharmacies are far more helpful, I ended up double-checking info with them too.
If that helps, my family and I (23 wks pg) had Influvac.

Thanks, I am waiting for the doctor to ring me back and tell me which one they use so i can check is thimoersal free one. Think am going to have it just need to get the testing worries out my head but booked in for Thursday so not long to debate it left!

Quote from NHS website just found;

Family planning and pregnancy
Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Influenza virus split virion:

?you should only have this medicine during pregnancy if your doctor thinks that you need it
This medicine may be given to you during your pregnancy if you need to have it. If you have Influenza virus split virion during your pregnancy and want more information, talk to someone who is involved in your medical care.

Shi*e now i read this headline; A MUM-of-three has died from swine flu ? after catching a cold off one of her children

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3344654/Swine-flu-claims-life-of-bubbly-mum.html

arrr this is a nightmare!!! :(