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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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

Original poster

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

718 replies

laurawantsababy · 15/10/2009 18:37

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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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catski · 22/10/2009 10:22

Thank you midnight sun - that's extremely helpful.

Well, today is my only chance to get the jab whilst pregnant. There is no 'catch up' round offered in my area (in sweden).

I think because swine flu levels are not at an epidemic level where I live, and I have six weeks before giving birth, I am going to say no to the vaccine (whilst pregnant). This is because there are no long term studies on the use of squalene in pregnant women. I'm okay with the virus part of the vaccine, and even thiomersal, but the adjuvant is making me think twice and I feel a bit like I would be taking part in a clinical trial and being pregnant gives me a lot of discomfort with that. I think I would spend more brain time worrying about the effects of the vaccine, thanI would about contracting swine flu over the next six weeks. Of course the other major disadvantage is that I will have a young baby who is unprotected over the peak period, but I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

If cevlapan were being offered, or if swine flu levels were higher where I lived, I would probably take the vaccine.

It's all a question of balancing the risk in your personal circumstances.

It is a very difficult decision to make. Good luck to you all ladies and here's wishing you all happy and healthy pregnancies and babies.

mumbot · 22/10/2009 12:20

Has anyone in the UK received any formal info from their GP surgery yet? I know there's a postal strike on so maybe not?

fleximum · 22/10/2009 12:51

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and work in a high risk profession so I will be having the vaccination. I've never had any problems with vaccines and there's no family history of problems so all in all, the risk to me and my baby from the flu (which I will almost certainly be exposed to)seems a lot higher than a theoretical risk from the vaccine.

Icanneverthinkofagoodname · 22/10/2009 13:23
Have a look at this link about vitamin D preventing flu. Its really interesting. If you put vitamin d3 into search engine you'll come up with lots of links to research done on vitamin D. Worth taking as its really very cheap and cant harm you. Although maybe its also justification for a months holiday in the sun over winter!
karlu · 22/10/2009 15:12

Called my GP today and they couldn't be specific. They are planning clinics for the end of November but can't say what vaccine they will have until mid November. I will try to push for Celvapan, not sure if it's available privately.

Liskey · 22/10/2009 16:24

aargghh just been to see midwife who told me jab is being recommended and I need to organise it with GP. Went to speak to reception who went urmmm......and asked a GP who said no they were NOT going to be vaccinating pregnant women at all! Bah now I'm confused

MadameDuBain · 22/10/2009 16:33

Haven't kept up with the thread since a couple of days ago, but I saw the GP this morning (for something else) and asked about this. He said they were getting both types and giving Celvapan to pregnant women. I didn't have to explain or spell it out, he knew exactly what I was asking and he said it was because of the adjuvant. Am in Scotland btw.

I think I'd decided to have it anyway but I'm pleased they're doing this.

waitingwaiting · 22/10/2009 16:56

I rang my GP's this morning and they havent heard when they are having the vaccines yet and dont know what they are getting.... sounds like its going to be a fair few weeks yet then.

JoInScotland · 22/10/2009 16:57

I had my 28-week scan yesterday and asked the consultant when the swine flu vaccine would be available (I have a serious medical condition, which is under control just now and I'm still in the "low-risk" group). He said that they have not been told whether it will be offered at GP surgeries or at midwife clinics at hospitals, and until that is cleared up, no one knows who will administer it. So I'm willing to have it, but no one has offered it to me yet. I'm allergic to eggs, so hope I can have a choice between Celvapan and Pandemrix.

The consultant said it would be for my protection, and that way the baby would be protected while inside me. Once born, the baby would have no protection to the virus and of course babies aren't vaccinated during the first 6 months of life. I don't know if any immunity would pass to the child while breastfeeding. Possibly?

BellasYummyMummy · 22/10/2009 17:34

i saw my GP today and he didnt even know when they were getting the vaccines in, but highly recommended it. He told me i was more at risk of complications from the flu than from the vaccine. I then asked about complications to the baby and he said they were waiting for more information. helpful!!! i asked if swine flu would be the same as normal flu and he said basically, yes and that normal flu or swine flu pregnant women are at higher risk for complications, but the majority will be fine from it. still undecided... he didnt say anything about the two different types of vaccines, he wasnt sure what they would be getting or how many.

mummyzanne · 22/10/2009 18:29

does anyone know how early into pregnancy we can get this vacine???

difficultdecision · 22/10/2009 18:47

hiya,

I'm a pregnant GP in london, we haven't been told yet when we are getting any or which one we are getting so planning is difficult. If your gp can't tell you much about it they aren't holding out on you - we just haven't been given any more info than the public yet!

ReneRusso · 22/10/2009 19:15

difficultdecision - which one would you be prepared to take: Pandemrix or Celvapan? And another question, I had swine flu in the 1st trimester (but no laboratory test to confirm). Assuming it was swine flu, do you think this could have given some protection to my baby (from future swine flu infection)? Sorry, this is rather taking advantage of your GP status, but I would be so interested to know your view.

Hellenbach · 22/10/2009 20:04

My friend works in medical research and she advised me (18 weeks preg) not to have it. There have been no medical trials on the vaccine in pregnant women yet.
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=h1n1

Original poster
laurawantsababy · 22/10/2009 20:14

Interesting that some GP's are offering Celvapan to pg women. I am going to give mine a call tomorrow to see what they say.

Still no news about my petition online. I am going to put another one in now... I will keep you posted.

Great info coming together now. Hopefully anyone who has a look at this thread will see both sides of the story and it will help them decide.

OP posts:
Original poster
laurawantsababy · 22/10/2009 20:24

Another petition started. This time I have just put that we want the choice between vaccines and havent put anything about why - I dont think they like that last time.

Hopefully here back sometime tomorrow...

OP posts:
Tomatefarcie · 22/10/2009 20:52

After reading this thread, I convinced myself to agree to Celvapan.

But tonight, I spoke to my brother, who works with lots of pharmaceutical labs in France. He said there is NO WAY he would get his children vaccinated (in France, they are vaccinating all school kids, considering them a priority). He said the risk of potential problems linked to the adjuvant was too high, and not worth taking.

I'm back to square One.
I have to go to see my Gp tomorrow morning, so will ask him about it all, and will let you know what he says (I'm in the South East).

MadameDuBain · 22/10/2009 21:01

But isn't Celvapan the one without the adjuvant?

difficultdecision · 22/10/2009 21:12

ReneRusso

I really don't know, I'm changing my mind every few minutes but given that celvapan is in such short supply I doubt I'm going to be given a choice.

If you had swine flu (and most people with symptoms in the first wave didn't have - the swab rate was very low) it should give you some protection in the future but unlikely in the first trimester to give your baby protection since blood cells and the immune system don't start to develop until about 12 weeks IIRC. (but I'm not a specialist so thats just general level knowledge)

hope that helps

westlondongirl · 22/10/2009 21:12

Hi Laurawantsababy - where do we find the petition? It enrages me that it seems once again that there is some kind of postcode lottery with Celvapan. Perhaps people could post on this thread if they were given the choice and where they live.

hannahsaunt · 22/10/2009 21:13

Cevlapan is the one without the adjuvant.

There are controlled trials on pregnant women taking place - they started in America at the beginning of October using a non adjuvanated vaccine (so their cevlapan) but first results won't be due until next July.

Original poster
laurawantsababy · 22/10/2009 21:15

They need to approve the petition first. This time though I havent had an email to confirm it.

Does someone else want to try setting it up? They rejected my first and wouldnt allow me to resubmit it.

OP posts:
UnrequitedSkink · 22/10/2009 21:16

Tomatefarcie - Celvapan is the one without the adjuvant - would your brother agree to his kids being immnized with that one?

Original poster
laurawantsababy · 22/10/2009 21:17

I see on the BBC another 4 people in Scotland have died from swine flu. Its says they all had underlying health issues - I wonder what they class as an underlying health issue??

OP posts:
difficultdecision · 22/10/2009 21:42

Actually ReneRusso, having eaten and restocked my brain I think it probably would give baby some immunity as it should pass from you to the baby during the second and third trimesters and then again if you BF