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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Flu jab during first trimester

19 replies

Robs20 · 07/10/2019 08:54

I have a flu jab booked for tomorrow. I will be 8+1. Not seeing midwife until next week to ask but thought it was important to book asap. Now I’ve heard from a couple of people that its best to wait until the second trimester to have it. Does anyone know?

OP posts:
Weathergirl1 · 07/10/2019 09:00

It's to protect you not the baby (pregnant women have weakened immune systems) so I would be surprised if that was the case. Was it someone medically trained who told you that?

Teddybear45 · 07/10/2019 09:05

My mw recommended the same thing for both the flu and whooping cough vaccination. Best to wait until after the placenta forms in the second trimester (mine advised 12-14 weeks) as the vaccines don’t cross that. However they could potentially harm a developing embryo without one in the 1st trimester. How true that is I don’t really know

Original poster
Robs20 · 07/10/2019 09:25

Hmm maybe I should wait then and at speak to the midwife next week. @Weathergirl1 no it was another pregnant woman not a dr.

OP posts:
ameliathomas84 · 07/10/2019 09:36

Personally I would t have this without asking! It's usually given after 15 weeks of pregnancy

hormonesorDHbeingadick · 07/10/2019 09:37

Whooping cough it given later in the hope that it does cross the placenta because the aim is to protect the baby unlike the flu jab which is to protect Mum.

1morepieceofcake · 07/10/2019 09:41

I had the flu jab when I had just found out I was pregnant (so about 5 weeks). I told the nurse I was pregnant and she said I could have the jab no problem. Go along to your appointment and ask the medically trained professionals. If they thought there was a problem and you couldn't have it due to any risk then they won't give it to you.

Weathergirl1 · 07/10/2019 10:01

@Robs20 in which case, as @1morepieceofcake suggests, ask a medical professional. Advice from other pregnant women is not necessarily going to be accurate 👍

Fortheloveofscience · 07/10/2019 10:07

Advice is to have the flu jab ASAP - pregnant women end up seriously ill from flu and it’s worse for your growing baby if you end up in intensive care. There is no evidence that it causes any harm to the foetus at any point in pregnancy.

And I put my money where my mouth was with this and had the flu jab at 6 weeks pregnant at the start of the year - I’m currently feeding a completely healthy 10 day old baby Smile.

Fortheloveofscience · 07/10/2019 10:09

And there does seem to be some confusion with whooping cough on the thread - this does have to be given after 16 weeks because the point is it protects the newborn from whooping cough. The flu jab gives the newborn no immunity from flu whenever you have it.

Maybbabi · 07/10/2019 10:22

I was advised by my midwife and the antenatal unit team to have my whooping cough on or after 16 weeks and my flu jab on or after 20 weeks. I would certainly speak to your midwife first. She might recommend waiting or she might say go ahead. Either way, it’s probably better to clear it with her first.

Tableclothing · 07/10/2019 10:25

NHS advice is to have flu jab asap

Flu jab during first trimester
Frizzy1986 · 07/10/2019 10:29

My midwife didn't say anything about flu (although it wasn't the season in early pregnancy for me) It is only for you though and I'd expect definitely better to have it now, than get the flu, which I expect would be much more harmful.

She advised whooping cough after the anomaly scan as she said some people seem to blame any issues found on vaccinations they've had which then has a negative impact on people getting vaccinated.

scratchbass · 07/10/2019 10:36

As others have said, get the flu jab ASAP and whooping cough after 16 weeks.

mistermagpie · 07/10/2019 10:45

I had the flu jab at about 8 weeks in my last pregnancy. It was already booked but the Dr said me being pregnant made no difference to me getting it.

As others have said I had the whooping cough after 16 weeks.

Original poster
Robs20 · 07/10/2019 11:48

Thanks for all the comments. I forgot whooping cough vaccine existed but certainly won’t be having that until advised by a midwife.
I’m going to call the midwife and ask re flu jab. I tried to call them last week and they wouldn’t help me because they hadn’t processed my referral....
I’m VERY sensitive about all things flu related...dd1 died from a virus similar to flu last winter so I want to be as protected as possible.

OP posts:
Mummylanie3 · 07/10/2019 13:14

@robs20 I had my booking in appointment Friday at 9+5 and was told to ring to book for flu jab now then whooping cough after 16weeks just rang docs to book in and there only doing over 65 got to ring back in a few weeks to see if they have it in then

McHelenz · 07/10/2019 13:18

You can have the flu jab at any time during your pregnancy, that's what NHS guidelines say.

Bol87 · 07/10/2019 18:40

@Robs20 - I’m so sorry about your daughter, I cannot imagine what you have been through & the pain you must feel Sad

I’m another one who had the flu jab in the first trimester last pregnancy. You don’t need to wait. I think I was about 8 weeks, possibly a tad earlier. The NHS guidelines are very clear it can be given at any point in pregnancy. It’s not a live vaccine. Midwives telling people to wait are very out of date, I suspect it might come from their opinion rather than medical facts. I had a really old fashioned midwife last pregnancy, she was horrified I was taking meds for HG 🙄 this pregnancy, my midwife has been incredibly supportive and championing medication!

Whooping cough is later as it’s designed to offer protection to your baby after it’s born until their own vaccines. So it needs to be given later on to ensure 12 weeks of protection post birth!

janey15 · 07/10/2019 19:13

I'm so sorry about your DD. It's completely reasonable for you to be worried.

I had the flu jab a week ago at 12 weeks thinking I was 11 weeks. I'm full of anxiety after infertility and miscarriage history but I've just decided to follow all nhs guidelines and not overthink anything I'm advised is safe. I would feel worse if I didn't vaccinate and baby was affected. The dr who gave me the jab said it was fine.

Could you speak to your dr on the phone if the midwives aren't able to help?

Best of luck xxx

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