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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Doubts about the flu jab

153 replies

zigzag7222 · 20/01/2020 15:34

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and am booked in for whooping cough and flu jabs later this week.

I was planning to get the whooping cough jab done anyway as I know it can be very serious if the baby catches it in the weeks after birth.

However, I'm having real doubts about the flu jab. I know several people who have been quite ill after having the jab and am concerned that the same could happen to me. I've read on previous MN threads that the jab isn't "live", so it's impossible to get ill from it afterwards - but it does seem from anecdotal evidence that it can make you unwell.

I've never had flu in my life (am mid 30s) and mostly work from home so don't come into contact with a lot of people on a regular basis. From what I understand, unlike whooping cough the flu jab is solely to protect the mother, not the baby.

My instincts are telling me not to have it, but I'm nervous to go against NHS advice.

I'm booked in for both jabs at the same time - are they separate injections or combined and if so, could I opt to have whooping cough only on the day?

Help!

OP posts:
BelfastNonBlonde · 20/01/2020 16:40

@zigzag7222

I could have written your OP, OP. I am 23 weeks pregnant, havent yet had flu or whopping cough vaccines but they are both on my radar.

I have never had flu, nor the flu vaccine, before.

As I knew I was pregnant this winter I went to get it when my work organised a nurse/health professional to come in and do them. She wouldnt give it to me as it was against her company's policy to give it to over 65s, children, pregnant ladies etc.... (the "at risk" groups, so go figure!)

I'm considering now just going to my Doc for the Whooping Cough vacc. This has reminded me to make an appointment..!

TLBftm · 20/01/2020 16:44

Pretty similar reasons as you OP. I told the midwife I wasn’t sure of having it because I always heard of people becoming ill after it. She told me about it not being a live virus but said the flu jab doesn’t actually prevent you getting flu. The flu is a different virus every year and each year a flu jab is developed to protect against the MOST COMMON type of flu that season. Therefore, having the jab does not mean you won’t get the flu. I had really bad sciatica during pregnancy and my job meant I was on my feet for 9 hours a day up and down 5 flights of stairs... the doctor wrote me a note, like a sick note but for restricted duties. Basically telling my employer I needed to be off my feet as much and have ‘sitting down’ duties. She did offer a sick note until my leave started but I wouldn’t have been paid so not ideal! Then I was in physio for an hour and half every week. My work place was almost an hour and half from home so I had to have every Tuesday afternoon off as by the time I could get back to work, it would be finished! My employer wasn’t very nice and I felt like I’d really pissed him off as he then had to get agency staff in for Tuesday afternoons and and agency to cover me day to day While I did other jobs (sitting down) so I was petrified of having the flu jab and becoming sick. Not being paid and pissing my employer off even more 😬 I explained all this to the midwife and she was very understanding and said it was fine but to please have the whooping cough jab. Which I did

DesLynamsMoustache · 20/01/2020 16:45

I'm not bothered about me

Well you should be. Especially when you're carrying a baby and soon to be a parent. Disregarding your own health can be damaging to a child just like disregarding theirs. When you're a parent, you have to look after yourself because you have someone who relies on you for everything.

All that aside, getting the flu while pregnant can be very harmful to your baby anyway because of the toll it takes on your body.

PineappleTart · 20/01/2020 16:45

I've had the flu jab for years. Those who get ill after the vaccine have generally been exposed prior to the jab and haven't yet got full immunity from the vaccine. They'd have got ill anyway. You're more likely to have a reaction from the Ingredients. They offer the jab to vulnerable groups for a reason, not just for fun.

georgialondon · 20/01/2020 16:50

There is no live virus in it!!!

leghairdontcare · 20/01/2020 16:52

@BelfastNonBlonde High risk groups get the flu jab for free via NHS. This will be why it was against policy to administer it. Your employer won't want to pay for it when you can get it for free.

Original poster
zigzag7222 · 20/01/2020 16:53

As I knew I was pregnant this winter I went to get it when my work organised a nurse/health professional to come in and do them. She wouldnt give it to me as it was against her company's policy to give it to over 65s, children, pregnant ladies etc.... (the "at risk" groups, so go figure!)

I read an old MN thread earlier on flu jabs where someone else had the same experience! I've also read that it's only about 40% effective anyway - which is very low.

As has been said various times, its not a live vaccine so you wont be "injecting a strain of virus into yourself".

Ok let me rephrase - I'm very cautious about having anything injected into myself while pregnant that 1) isn't 100% necessary and 2) isn't proven to be 100% risk free to the baby.

OP posts:
sep30 · 20/01/2020 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OlivejuiceU2 · 20/01/2020 16:57

Op I had flu whilst 10 weeks pregnant. I was seriously ill whilst in hospital. I needed a round the clock care to recover. I was lucky it was caught early. The consult explained I could have died and how serious flu is for pregnant women. It was shocking how quickly I deteriorated. Thankfully my baby is fine but we have been lucky.
I was collapsing, had fluid in my lungs, high temp, low blood pressure and seriously dehydrated from one day of having flu, not even a full 24 hours.
It’s not just for the baby, it is for you.

WorldEndingFire · 20/01/2020 16:57

The vaccine is fine. YABVU.

Ers77 · 20/01/2020 16:58

When I was pregnant my my son a few years ago I decided not to have the flu jab because "it wasn't that effective", "Best guess at this year's strain"'etc. Then my husband got flu...

Luckily we quarantined him and I did not get it, but my goodness did I feel foolish and scared!

Am pregnant again, and this time I had it as soon as I was out of the first trimester. Absolutely no side effects either. It's just not worth the risk of skipping it. Smile

fibeee · 20/01/2020 16:58

Studies have been done that show that mothers who receive the vaccine in pregnancy pass on the antibodies to their babies which reduces their chances of catching the flu in early life. If you google 'flu jab protects baby' you can do your own research from there.

But if you are suspicious about the vaccine I don't really know what to suggest. I personally took the view that all the nhs drs, nurses and midwives I have come into contact with know more than I do (a person with zero medical training) so I opted to follow their advice and get the jab. But I've come across people who are suspicious of vaccines and most medical advice. It's not a debate I'm interested in getting into as trusting the science hasn't failed me yet.

As for 'feeling unwell' after that didn't happen to me. Actually my injection site for whooping cough was much more sore than the flu one for a few days after. I got one in each arm during the same midwife appointment.

FirstTimeDS · 20/01/2020 16:59

Christ all mighty please look up other sources than bloody mumsnet when citing your evidence!

This mistrust in doctors and nurses advice is about you but I bet you trust them about everything else??

I'm not entirely sure what you want us all to say you've clearly made up your mind. Enjoy 👍

scaevola · 20/01/2020 17:02

No medicine is 100% safe

Vaccines are amongst the very safest medicines there are.

(The 100% rhetoric is commonly encountered on anti-vax sites, so I strongly recommend OP looks at the WHO report on the activities of Russian trolls in spreading disinformation)

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 20/01/2020 17:02

tbh OP, it sounds like you've made up your mind considering you're ignoring most comments giving you reason to get the jab.

All the best.

BettysLeftTentacle · 20/01/2020 17:03

By your logic, I take it you won’t be vaccinating you baby against preventable childhood diseases when it’s actually here then OP.

Original poster
zigzag7222 · 20/01/2020 17:05

I'm not entirely sure what you want us all to say you've clearly made up your mind.

Well no, I haven't actually - otherwise why would I bother posting on MN? Hmm

but did have whooping cough as it protects the baby when it's born until it's vaccinations.

I'm definitely getting the whooping cough jab as that is something I feel is 100% necessary.

OP posts:
Persipan · 20/01/2020 17:06

While you're pregnant, your immune system isn't operating at quite the level it normally would, making you more vulnerable to catching illnesses. The consequences of catching flu in pregnancy are also potentially serious. And even in ordinary circumstances, flu is at best deeply, deeply unpleasant (you won't know this, never having had it, but think: basically unable to even get out of bed for a couple of weeks - it's not a small thing and I promise you don't want it) and at worst very dangerous.

The problem with looking at it in terms of it being '100% necessary' is that the only way to know if it was is via hindsight - you'd have to not have it and then hope nothing bad happens. The downside to this, of course, being that the bad things in that situation could be very bad indeed, and there's no putting that genie back in the bottle later on if you do get flu.

Engard · 20/01/2020 17:07

I've had the flu jab every year for past 5 years and have never caught the flu from it. Like you though, I'm mid thirties and have never had the flu 🤷🏻‍♀️
But I trust the NHS and believe they wouldn't offer it unless it was important to our maintenance.

Original poster
zigzag7222 · 20/01/2020 17:08

tbh OP, it sounds like you've made up your mind considering you're ignoring most comments giving you reason to get the jab.

I've read all the comments and have taken them on board. But I'm also allowed to share my reasons for having doubts.

Thanks to all those who have given constructive advice - it has given me a lot of food for thought.

OP posts:
Original poster
zigzag7222 · 20/01/2020 17:09

The problem with looking at it in terms of it being '100% necessary' is that the only way to know if it was is via hindsight - you'd have to not have it and then hope nothing bad happens. The downside to this, of course, being that the bad things in that situation could be very bad indeed, and there's no putting that genie back in the bottle later on if you do get flu.

Good point - @Ers77's post has definitely made me think.

OP posts:
BettysLeftTentacle · 20/01/2020 17:18

Bottom line @zigzag7222 is that you’re focussing on the wrong gamble. It’s not a case of gambling on whether the flu jab is safe or necessary, it’s the case of gambling on whether you get flu and possibly endanger yours/your unborn baby’s lives. Considering that there is zero evidence to suggest the flu vaccine is dangerous to pregnant women and their fetus’ and plenty of evidence to suggest flu is dangerous to pregnant women and their fetus’, you seem to willing to take a bloody great big gamble. That’s the bottom line you need to focus on when ‘researching’

catlady3 · 20/01/2020 17:24

Since we're being anecdotal, I had both at the same time (they're separate jabs, got one in each arm), zero problems from either of them, no flu symptoms etc. Main side effect (as told to me by the nurse) is apparently a slightly sore arm. Didn't have that, either.

cezza1923 · 20/01/2020 17:26

I had the flu jab at 9 weeks, no side effects whatsoever. I’m so glad I did, people around me have been dropping down like flies and I’ve been absolutely fine. I’m considering paying to have it next year.

MangoFeverDream · 20/01/2020 17:27

FFS. The flu jab isnt just about YOU. Its about herd immunity

FFS the flu jab is not going to give us herd immunity. It’s not all that effective, and it mutates too fast to have that kind of permanent effect.

.....it’s just not like other vaccines which DO give us herd immunity.

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