Is the flu jab safe when pregnant?

[fanjolina]

Work are offering the flu jab next week. However I am not sure if it is safe when pregnant (and can't ask occupational health as they don;t yet know about my pregnancy). Does anyone know if it is safe? Thanks.

There was something on the news suggesting pg women will get it from next year

but

I would check strains etc wit the nurse at your gp's first

always used to be not reccommended for pregnancy but advice changes from year to year so not sure, you can always ask your doctor or phone NHS direct for the latest info?

or maybe the advice has changed www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/Flu/Vaccine/Can_the_influenza_vaccine_be_given_to_women_who_are_pre gnant

I wouldn't tak anything while pregnant. Not worth the risk.
They wont have tested the vaccine on pregnant women, obviously.

or www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/isitsafeto/flujabexpert/

as usual no clear advice!!

Thanks all. I kept coming across confusing advice when I searched online so thought maybe some wise mumsnetters would have the definitive answer. I will call the nurse at my GP centre to see what she recommends.

Frankly I wouldn't go near it, pg or not.

Dont have it, its got mercury in it and that is what they have taken OUT of the MMR in order to make it safer.

Also I had flu when I was 3 months pregnant and was really ill, but things turned out ok.

I was about 18 weeks when they were doing flu jabs at my work and they said it was contraindicated in pregnancy. Not sure if the advice has changed now but I'm inclined to agree with riven

don't see why you would want it really. It can't stop you cathing a winter bug, there are so many different ones. Not worth the risk IMO.

Best bet is ring your GP surgery to ask. I would only take advice on this from a professional tbh.

just to clarify MMR never had thimerosal [mercury] in it but baby jabs did. Now they don't.

If women are supposed to avoid certain types of fish because ofthe mercury potentially being hramful to their baby I am not really clear on why a mercury contianing jab should be considered safe.
But maybe I am not up to date and mercury (thimerosal)has been removed from this particular vaccine.

It's been my experience that EVERYTHING is not recommended during pregnancy. We get the flu jab at work every year and if you are pregnant you are not invited.

I wouldn't do it. Although I did have the worst flu ever imaginable when I was pregnant with DS. Everyone had. But at least they got to take meds.

There are mercury-free flu jabs, but I think you may have to request them separately.

Don't think it is recommended, I was told I couldn't have it when I was pg. Think it's not worth the risk really as effects largely unknown.

rhesus negative women still get anti-d jabs with thimerasol in them