Anyone having a flu jab this winter?

[MrsMcJnr]

Just read in my "What to expect" last night that flu can be very dangerous in your third trimester and that if you come up to flu season and are in that phase, you should have one. Never had a flu jab. Anyone know if pregnant women commonly get one? never heard this before. Thanks!

I was going to ask my midwife about this, as I know the elderly or people that are more vunerable get given one. Guess that being pregnant makes us more vunerable to flue.

It seems so Cazzy, flu in the later months can lead to early labour apparently

They wouldn't give me one when I was 3rd trimester pregnant during flu season, so I bought it privately.

there is no need to have a flu jab unless you are eldery or have renal/cardio/etc complications

healthy young people dont need it

It is recommended for 1st and 3rd trimester pregnant women in some place, naily.

I buy it every year privately.

Because the last time I had flu, I was young and healthy.

And spent Xmas in hospital with pneumonia in both my lungs.

thats the first ive heard
there is no way on earth id have a flu jab whilst pg

the pneumo vax made my dad horribly ill this year, but he's 71 with hypertension and coronary artery disease, so he followed his doc's recommendation to have it, but he's dreading his flu jab in october.

Can't say I like the idea of an innoculation like that but then again, I do seem to get flu over Christmas every year without fail

Well mrsmc, i wish i had one, as i got the flu for the first time ever. took me over two weeks to feel slightly better couldn't get out of bed at all for 4 days, there was nothing i could take to ease it, 6 weeks later i still have a cough, so i'm on antibiotics and still not gone, and now am facing labour 39+3 still weak with a cough.

i only read that the other night too, and thought if next time pg in winter i would. Incidently it has been a really bad flu season here in Oz. everyone i know has had flu once or twice and even many young people even are in hospital with pnemonia. Pg women are also much more likely to get pnemonia

And pneumonia SUCKS.

Even when you're a young adult.

It took me ages to feel full strength again.

Ooo, that's a good point. I have asthma which technically puts me in one of the risk categories for flu and means I can get the jab on the NHS. I've had it a couple of times - whenever I remember really Had completely forgotten about it until I saw this thread though. I'll definitely ask my MW about it at the next appointment - agree that the idea of flu in the third trimester (or even just after birth when your entire biology is up the spout) sounds horrible, but they're normally really cautious about giving pg women any medication, so I'll be interested to see what she says.

Hey Geek how are you??!!

Hey Mrs! I'm good thank you - getting big now (28w), and baby is a wriggly one, but it's all good. nomoremagnolia crashed another thread the other day to say hello to me too, I'm feeling very loved! How about you?

Flu jab is one of the last jabs to still contain thimoseral (mercury). Just something to consider.

I have asthma as well and have had the jab every year for the last 5 years or so. I haven't had 'flu for about 6 years, so either it works, or I'm very lucky!

If there's no real harm to the baby, then I will be going for it again this year. 'Flu is no fun, but 'flu in the last stages of pregnancy or immediately after giving birth is not a good option.

Some don't contain thimoseral.

There are several European labs, including one in Italy, that does thimoseral free jabs.