Quick poll - Pg ladies, how pg are you and will you be having the swine flu jab?

[laurawantsababy]

I am 25 weeks pg with dc2 and very confused.

After another death but with conflicting advice about the jab chosen for the UK what are we to do??

I would love you here everyones choice and thoughts on it to help me out.

Thanks

I am 18 weeks pregnant after a miscarriage and really torn between avoiding the vaccine or taking it. I wished GPs would test us for antibodies before we take the vaccine as I got some of the symptoms of SF recently and it was relatively mild with the exception of cough and phlegm (I have to use a humidifier to be able to sleep at night, still after 2 weeks) but again it could just have been a bad case of "normal" cold/flu... I look at this situation as a gamble either way and it is really an extra stress I could do without, I could be risking my baby's health whatever my decision is and I don't know what to do

Also, does anyone have any more info on the studies done on pregnant animals with this vaccine? I'd be very interested in the results.

The controversy around squalene is:
1] The States won't allow it.
2] People with gulf war syndrome displayed high levels of antibodies to Squalene, and at the time vaccines were blamed. WHO has since said no vaccines that the soldiers were given contained squalene, and that it is possible that normal members of the public also have high levels of antibodies to squalene. It just is not known.

Thanks for the explanation Midnightsun. I have heard back from my GP who has said I can contact the PCT but they are not aware of Celvapan being available privately.

15 weeks pg and still undecided but erring towards having the jab.

I have read what I can on the internet and spoken to my brother who is a Dr and I am pretty convinced that the jab is probably a less riskier bet than complications of the flu but the risk of harm from either seems low.

I don't like the media scaremongering either about the flu or he vaccine.

Like so much in pg from tests through to birth it is very much personal choice.

At the baby show last wkend, we spoke to a very helpful rep from the NHS. We asked about getting the vaccine privately.

Apparently, the govt has bought up all immediate stocks of the vaccine, and from what she said, it will not be available privately. The following NHS link also seems to imply this:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu/pages/QA.aspx#privatepractices

To throw my two pence worth in, saw my consultant today. He stressed that whilst there was next to no data available about the side effects re. vaccination on pregnant women, the one thing they did know is that S.F does impact pregnant women more.

I have no other underlying health problems (that I am aware of!), am 27 weeks pregnant. So will basically be heavily pregnant as this pandemic really takes off (and apparently all stats are confirming that the second wave is going to be worse than the one earlier this year). On that basis, he has advised that I have the vaccination. It is of course still a personal decision. And I need to discuss more with DH, but right now am 90% sure that i will have it.

Thank you again pofaced.

Nice article on New Scientist today people might want to check out:

www.newscientist.com/article/dn18014-is-the-swine-flu-vaccine-safe.html

I called my surgery today and they said I could choose between the two vaccines. The first to come in would be the Pandemrix so I would need to wait a little longer to get Celvapan.

Has anyone looked into getting Celvapan on the continent? I am seriously considering flying back to the US to get this, which seems insane but given women have no choice here and potential implications of adjuvant on baby...

Also, has anyone started a petition on this yet? If not will do this week.

oremstango I am in the UK, why do you think your GP couldn't get it?

Hi All,

I'm 24w 5d pregnant with my first baby - a boy, and I have no idea whether to get the swine flu jab. This is my first time on a website such as this but you guys all seem so clued up on the subject, I just wanted to join in the debate!

ilovejellybeans - thats good news for you about the choice of vaccines... I wonder if every surgery would offer this? anyone know? I think I read on a posting earlier that this wasnt the case..
Was it a doctor who you spoke to or the receptionist?

Can I ask where about in the Uk are you located? If you are near me that I'll be very happy!!

Hello waiting. I spoke to the surgery manager who orders in the vaccines. She said they had to offer it anyway as some women would be allergic to egg. I am in the south of England.

From the Globe and Mail, Canada:

Full Article here:

www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/reader-questions-on-h1n1-answered/ar ticle1329448/

Q: Should pregnant women get the H1N1 vaccine?

A: Pregnant women, whose immune systems are suppressed, are at highest risk of complications from the flu. Therefore, it is recommended that they be the first in line to get the H1N1 vaccine. However, it should be noted that the H1N1 vaccine that will be administered to pregnant women, which is packaged in single doses, contains neither thimerosal nor adjuvants.

In answer to the question I have seen no information that the single dose (mercury-free) version will be rolled out in the near future in the UK, and thus looking out to get it earlier. This is entirely a cost-driven decision by the government.

I was told flat out that I had no choice- it was either pandemrix or nothing. I asked who I could speak to to complain and was told to phone the PCT. I phoned them and was put through to the public health department who took my details and said they would call if Celvopan becomes available.....i'm not confident. I feel like i'm being given the run around . I would be all for a petition. I sent an e-mail to the BBC to highlight the problem but no reply. I simply believe that we should have a choice. Anyone got any newspaper contacts....?

Thanks for all the rational debate here, the information from the links has been really helpful.

I have a question - the guardian article states that it takes about 2 to 3 weeks to build up immunity from the vaccine. My EDD is in 2 weeks and I have yet to be called into the surgery for my vaccine should I want it.
It's likely that if I did have the vaccine before my baby is born, it would be a matter of days before.

So does this mean I would then build up immunity but not pass any on to the baby as he'd be born before I developed full immunity?
If this is correct, does it carry on being passed through bf if I'm successful at that?
Do we have any ideas of what the risks are for newborns catching the virus?

Personally I'd imagine I'd manage to shift it pretty quickly if I did get it as I'm rarely ill, but my concern would be that my baby would catch it and be unable to fight it off or more likely to develop complications. Anyone have any info/thoughts on this?

Some great info on here....but I'm no further forward in a decision - it's scary!

DH says ask GP and consultant next week when we see them. But i suspect they will have to 'tow the party line' so will i believe what they say if they say take it??

I'd love to be able to have the jab...sail through the pregnancy and birth with a healthy baby....but have fears of some problems with babies appearing in the years to come, attributed to this vaccination...

Anyone know how effective the anti-viral medicines are? I'm wondering whether to skip the jab and if i get SF pray that the medication works....

Soooooo confused!!!

Also...anyone know if i refuse it for now, can i change my mind in the weeks to come and go and get it??

I'm 17 weeks and will definitely not be having it. They're not even offering it yet here in Belgium, and my gynae said "no way" when I asked him about it...

catski, about the animal tests with Pandemrix:

The European Medicines Agency has a detailed PDF about Pandremix which includes information about clinical trials. See sections 4.6 and 5.3 in this document I've copied them here for convenience.

---

4.6 Pregnancy and lactation

There are currently no data available on the use of Pandemrix in pregnancy. Data from pregnant women vaccinated with different inactivated non-adjuvanted seasonal vaccines do not suggest malformations or fetal or neonatal toxicity.

Animal studies with Pandemrix do not indicate reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3).

The use of Pandemrix may be considered during pregnancy if this is thought to be necessary, taking into account official recommendations.

Pandemrix may be used in lactacting women.

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5.3 Preclinical safety data

Non-clinical data obtained with the mock-up vaccine using a H5N1 vaccine strain reveal no special hazard for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, acute and repeated dose toxicity, local tolerance, female fertility, embryo-fetal and postnatal toxicity (up to the end of the
lactation period).

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longwayaway thanks for the New Scientist link. Good data there. Scary reader comments though.

lilysam remember taking medication to treat swine flu in pregnancy raises similar (though not identical) issues to having the vaccine. Having said that if you have the vaccine it's 100% in your body, small risks and all, and if you decide to take the chance on medication there's a big chance you won't even get swine flu.

Everyone has to figure out what is best for them and their situation.