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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Swine flu jab

16 replies

Worriedmum2be · 22/12/2011 14:21

I am 8 weeks pregnant at the mo but won't have my first midwife appointment till beg of Jan. I received a letter from doctors a few days ago recommending I book my seasonal/swine/australian flu jab soon. I called the nurse and she said she recommends speaking to the midwife before getting it done as many people have queries that only a midwife can answer and some women decide not to have the jab. The nurse also told me that flu season tends to end in march do she booked me in for the jab three days after my midwife appointment and told me I could cancel if I decided not to go ahead with it.
Anyway, sorry for the long post but I was wondering if there was any reason I shouldn't have the jab, is it dangerous in the first trimester? And also how many of you got the jab and was all well afterwards?

OP posts:

ariane5 · 22/12/2011 14:31

i had mine done at 9 weeks, it was fine just a sore arm the next day.

ITryToBeZenBut · 22/12/2011 16:46

Hello worried

There were a couple of swine flu threads on here a few weeks ago where people chipped in pros/cons so might be worth searching as a wealth of info on there.

We all have different risk thresholds so totally up to you but for me the risks raised in relation to the contents of the injection were so very minor compared to the potential threat to my unborn baby if I caught it.

Quite surprised you were told you had to discuss with a midwife first. Mine certainly would have discussed it if I'd had queries but my GP was happy to check I understood the injection and answer any queries. NHS direct also have info on the injection on the website so chec that out.

I had it done about 8 weeks ago and no ill effects at all bar a minor sore arm for a day - my anti D injection was more painful to be honest.

personal decision but I'd recommend searching for that info.

buonasera · 22/12/2011 22:38

I went for it at what, about 8 weeks... I'm now 19w and I've had two bad colds in the last 6 weeks so really glad I went for the flu jab - my immune system seems to have shut up shop for the duration of the pregnancy.

I think it's one of those "only you can decide" pregnancy choices i.e. nobody knows that much about the relative risks and benefits so they just leave it up to you. The NHS says it's safe to take in the first trimester...

One thing: if you're in the UK, you might have trouble getting it unless you go through the NHS. I tried to get it privately (at Boots) and they wouldn't do me because I was up the duff, and my GP was booked solid through to the start of December, so in the end I went to another Boots and lied on the form.

blackcatsdancing · 22/12/2011 22:56

i had it at 6 weeks. sore arm nothing more. The vaccine isn't live so safe.

passthestuffing · 22/12/2011 23:29

I'm a gp and have 7m ds and read up then had the jab while pregnant myself if that helps reassure you. I saw some very very sick pregnant ladies with swine flu. When you are pregnant your immune system is v low (to stop you rejecting the baby) so you are more prone to swine flu.you can speak to your gp about it if you want it sooner.Xmas is great time for visiting & catching bugs. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

goingmadtrying · 23/12/2011 00:44

I saw my midwife today and she gave me a leaflet although not read it yet, but she basically said that it was safe for pregnant women and that there was no evidence it was dangerous And tht it was more dangerous for me to risk getting the flu! She also said you are not injected with the virus, hth

blushingmare · 23/12/2011 07:16

I had it at 9 weeks and everything fine so far (now 16 weeks). I don't really understand why anyone wouldn't have it tbh. The vaccine is safe in pregnancy, but flu in pregnancy can be fatal in a worse case scenario. Having the jab also gives your newborn immunity.

AwayinaKayzr · 23/12/2011 07:26

I had it at about 11 weeks and everything has been fine. Sore arm for a few hours but that's all.

puzzletree · 23/12/2011 07:35

I had it at 7 weeks, the midwife recommended I get it done asap so I saw the nurse straight after my appointment. Only obvious effect was a sore arm for a few days after. I'm now 12 weeks and haven't had any illneses (other than usual pregnancy sickness!). Although I'd not had the flu jab before, I have never had a bad reaction to immunisation in the past, so the decision to get it was easy for me. I'd not be able to forgive myself if I'd got flu and something bad happened to the baby (or I got so ill, their life was threatened).

tea44 · 23/12/2011 11:31

I had the jab at 9 weeks. There is a really good thread on mums net from a year ago that provided a lot of reassurance. My friend who is a GP also said she would have it, and this is the second year of including the swine flu element so if there were any problems we would have heard about them now. I too decided that the risk of getting flu was greater. I don't think you ever stop worrying though, good luck whatever you decide.

Oeisha · 23/12/2011 11:54

Re: flu vaccine. Not all vaccines will be pregnancy recommended. I know there was at least 1 on the UK list that was not recommended for pg women (or wasn't recommended IYSWIM) so it's worth having a look at your local authorities provision and doing a bit of research of the vaccine. Also, some have egg-products in them, so if you're egg-protein reactive then you might be advised not to have those either.
Are you Australian? Or at least in Australia? If so, look here. Should have the links to find which vaccine's given in which state/territory. You can probably work some internet magic from there and work out if that vaccine's "for you" and if not, which ones to ask for. Though ringing your doctor's surgery/HCP, they shoudl be able to tell you.
If UK based, then have a look at this thread lots of information and debate, including links to the NHS sites and infor on various vaccines.

Can't for the life of me remember right now which one I had...

Oeisha · 23/12/2011 11:56

Ah! I forgot to say, I was in to my 2nd trimester before the vaccine program was rolled out here. I had an achey arm and felt a bit grotty for a couple of days, but nothing else.

Original poster

Worriedmum2be · 24/12/2011 09:26

Thanks for all your replies. I'm in uk not australia but apparently Australian flu is part of the flu jab this year!
I'm still a wee bit undecided, mainly because the flu season finishes in march so if im not getting it till jan I'm not sure if it's worth while. And the baby isn't due till aug so I don't suppose the jab effectiveness lasts till then! I also heard that the flu is most dangerous in pregnant women later in pregnancy when your lungs are other organs are more compacted by the bump.
I still have a few weeks to think about it though, no chance of getting it earlier because of the surgery closures at Christmas and new year and the flu jab clinics are booked out till my appt in jan.
Thanks Again to you all.

OP posts:

goingmadtrying · 24/12/2011 09:33

The other thing to consider is that my midwife told me it takes 3 weeks to become active! So looking at your decision for maybe leaving it you wouldn't be covered until late jan?? Good luck with your decision :)

merry Christmas

Original poster

Worriedmum2be · 08/01/2012 22:43

Spoke to my midwife last week and she strongly recommended getting the jab. Appointment is tomorrow so fingers crossed all's well. Thanks again for the advice and reassurance.

OP posts:

CheekyChoppers · 08/01/2012 22:54

My GP recommended getting the vaccine due to the risks of swine flu to the baby, but he also recommended not getting it until after the first trimester. He said that because it's a fairly new vaccine, and thus no one really knows the affects on a foetus as yet, that it would be safer to wait until after the 12th week at least it made to sense to me.

Saying that I'm now 32 weeks and never got round to getting the jab

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