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

Saw my consultant today and he thinks i should have it. He said that i'm high risk and thinks its a good idea, because it's not a live vaccine it shouldn't affect the baby (i'm 16 weeks) and the risks of becoming seriously ill or complications are higher due to being pregnant.

I was really considering not having it, and now don't know. I really trust my consultant who has been fantastic through some difficult pregnancies (and losses) and i don't believe he would advise me if there was a risk to my child.

Well I've had it (Pandemrix) now. It was the first day the vaccine has been generally available at an open clinic in my city (in Norway).

They offered everyone else in the risk groups both H1N1 (swine flu) and the seasonal flu vaccine simultaneously but said pregnant women can't have the seasonal flu vaccine (presumably because there is a small risk with vaccines and unlike swine flu, with normal flu it's not worth taking it as although unpleasant the illness is rarely life threatening for us).

My top of arm/shoulder hurt a lot for the first half an hour but the tender pain is wearing off slightly now.

Will report back if there are any other side effects but I'm just relieved it's over with and I can stop worrying about the decision now.

Good luck everyone else with your choices.

Thanks for that midnightsun.

I am booked in to have mine on Monday...although has now been outbreak at work and am waiting to see if GP can do mine any earlier as a result.

This post has been brilliant, thanks everyone for some very informative contributions that have really helped me. I am 24 weeks pregnant and after weeks and weeks of stressing constantly I have decided to have the vaccination as soon as I am offered it. I am finding that I am not enjoying going out any more as I'm always worried about people coughing and sneezing and I have even cancelled a few events. I also have a 5 year old daughter and have to think seriously about what would happen to her if the worst should happen and so finally have opted for (what I consider to be) the lesser of 2 evils.....good luck everyone else with your choices, it's such a hard decision.

Sorry should have mentioned in my "had the jab" post that I am 24 weeks pregnant in case that is of interest to anyone.

There were other pregnant women who looked like they were near their due dates and some that were not even showing yet at the clinic today.

I found myself wondering what all the other "high risk group" people who were not pregnant women were ill with and whether I could catch anything in the waiting room - true to form I will just find something other than swine flu to worry about now.

I too have actually just returned from having the jab. Nurse asked me to get there this afternoon after I told them about the outbreak at work.

I am due to go back in 3 weeks to get a 2nd jab. Was given the Pandremix and am just over 28 weeks pregnant.

My decision making was pretty similar to chocoholics actually. DS is just over 2 and I had to take into account worse case for him should the worse happen to me.

The one thing I would say is that for those wanting the jabs, call your GP's. I proactively contacted mine and they booked me in.

I saw a consultant obstetrician yesterday and she said that she wouldn't touch the vaccine with a barge pole. She said the vaccine has not been tested and should not be used on pregnant women. She also said that in a few years time the government will be wondering why there was a rise in birth defects.

I wasn't going to have it before and I will certainly not be having it now. Interesting how medical opinion seems divided on this. If they can't convince the doctors I don't think they have much chance in convincing the general public.

I am very worried about swine flu, I work with children so it will not be easy for me to avoid the virus if there is a outbreak in my area.

The dolls house. My consultant obstetrician told me in no uncertain terms to have it.

Tis indeed very sad that the medical profession are so divided about it. Is causing untold stress to so many.

It is crazy isn't it mistletoekisses?

I am annoyed today because I have been unwell for a few weeks and my consultant advised me to have a blood test to check my immunity for SF as it is possible I have already had and therefore don't need to worry about it. Phoned GP's surgery and they point blank refused to carry out the test.

thedollshouse while I think health professionals are entitled to their opinions and should not be obliged to agree with public policy, I do think they should keep the extent of their personal views private. It's actually irresponsible of someone paid by the public health system to start saying that a policy currently being recommended by the government is going to cause birth defects. It exasperates me.

That is her single individual opinion, against the tide of expert agreement that it's safer for pregnant women to have the vaccine.

mistletoekisses we are only having a single dose here.

unless of course she can document or in any other way back up how and why the swine flu vaccine might cause birth defects. And if she can I'd be desperate to see it now that I've had the jab!

If it's just that she doesn't like the idea of a vaccine in pregnant women, it's nothing more than hypothesising.

I really wish the press would get hold of these stories and do some coverage on the total contradictory attitude of the health professionals.

A pregnant nurse at a hospital in North Manchester was refused the vaccine (my relative works with her). On this thread we are told that a CONSULTANT is alluding to 'birth defects'. My mother's gp told her she would advise against her pregnant daughter having it.

Why is this not a big story? Why is this ok? Is this not the Daily Mail's dream? A chance to persecute the NHS? And why, after (seemingly) so many (needless) deaths, are we not seeing any first person coverage. After MMR or similar, there is always a rash of stories about how deaths could have been prevented. I just don't get why NONE of the parents, relatives, friends of the poor people who have died pre-vaccination are not getting themselves on the front page as usually happens?

It is mystifying me. If their are any journalists out there, I would really appreciate your opinion as to why the health professionals are not be quizzed more over their ambivalence (Radio Four seems to be the only one as yet), and why none of the families of those that have died have gone public?

Petition signed by me too.

Well I am extremely fortunate to have every medical professional I have spoken to back the vaccine. I am also reassured by one of my friends who does a lot of research on vaccines. And she also has come across nothing that even hints at the possibility of the vaccine causing birth defects. I know there are no guarantees about anything. But the one unfortunate fact that has been established IMO is that for whatever reason, the sting of this virus is hitting pregnant women - and when it does result in complications, those complications can result in death.

Greatgoing - I agree that you have read that one consultant has said not to have it. But please also bear in mind that another consultant has completely backed it.

Thedollshouse - if you want that blood test, then get it done privately. That may be the best way for you.

Mistletoe, that is exactly my point; as fast as I hear from one professional that it is perfectly safe, I hear from another that it isn't.

You have indeed been very fortunate that you have had consistent, positive advice. In that way, you are spared the hand wringing.

I am not going out of my way to seek negatives, but are being offered severely conflicting advice at every turn. Most medical decisions simply are not like this.

I could bore you with so many more examples of the polarised opinions I have been given but anedoctal evidence is in a way meaningless to anyone but the person who is reporting it. I will add that my most recent example was my midwife taking me to one side to advise me against the vaccine before I went in to see my GP who advised me to have it.

So my fears and worries are not based on one consultant, or one nurse, but numerous differing opinions. Unfortunately, you seem to be in the minority as someone that has been given a totally postive view.

My bemusement at the complete absence of first hand experiences in the press still stands...

Midnightsun - Yes obviously it is my consultants own personal opinion, we did put her on the spot and ask her for a "off the record" opinion. Perhaps it was inappropriate of me to share her opinion. I think I will ask for my post to be deleted as I don't want to scare anyone or cause any trouble.

I am however very concerned that there is confusion amongst senior medical professionals if they all disagree how is the general public supposed to know what to do! I would prefer honesty from the department of health, I would like someone to come out and say "look, this vaccine has not been tested, we hope its safe and our studies suggest it is safe but we cannot be sure and would ask you to weigh up the risks of contracting swine flu against the risks of having an untested vaccine". Because at the end of the day that is the current position, nobody really knows and I think it is dangerous to suggest otherwise.

Thedollshouse - what you are saying you wish the department of health would say is spot on what my consultant did say.

There is no data on the vaccine for the safety in pregnant women.
However there is data on the safety of the seasonal flu vaccine in pregnant women and this is manufactured in the same way.
Of course no vaccine is totally risk free.
But the risks absolutely point to the fact that the swine flu virus and complications that can arise from it can be lethal to pregnant women.

He said that it was a very personal choice, but in his professional opinion, I should have it.

Another aspect of this is that I hope the vaccine will provide the baby with some immunity. DS arrived at 37 weeks, if this baby does the same, he will be here Dec 28th. We will still be midst pandemic and I worry more about what would happen to a newborn if they caught this virus.

I didn't think there was data on the safety of the seasonal flu jab for pregnant women. I thought that the fact that pregnant women are not offered the seasonal flu jab was one of the reasons that is concerning some medical professionals. Perhaps I am wrong but that was my understanding.

thedollshouse. here is a link - albeit from the USA. Will find something from the UK too.

www.cdc.gov/Flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm

Something from the NHS also

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Flu-jab/documents/Seasonal%20Flu%20Vaccination%20leaflet.pdf

studies have been done on seasonal flu jab in pregnant women. lots of my friends have had that jab whilst pregnant in previous years.

sorry, last link promise. HTH a little dollshouse. plus the US are so litigious, they would not be putting this advice out there lightly.

www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/vaccination/pregnant_qa.htm

thedollshouse No, no, I don't think your post should be deleted, it's important for people to know what consultants are saying and to air it so that others can discuss and put it in context with other opinions and information.

I also think that what you want the government / health officials to say is exactly what Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson has said, I heard him in an interview on BBC Radio where he said (from memory, I can't find it online now, annoyingly) clearly that the vaccine has not been tested on pregnant women but we absolutely believe it's safe otherwise we would not be recommending that pregnant women have it. The risk from swine flu is small but what worries us is that it seems to cause unexpected serious complications in a small number of otherwise healthy people. It is unacceptable to us to see more deaths from this disease which is essentially preventable by vaccine. That is why we are urging pregnant women and everybody who is in a risk group to protect themselves by being vaccinated."

There might be some similar quotes from him here.

Don't fear the swine flu jab: Health chiefs reassure the public at start of mass vaccination

Actually that Daily Mail article seemed very sober and balanced, I'm pleased to say.

It isn't easy when people we see has highly qualified and all with much more expertise than us, don't agree. Nobody else is going to take the consequences of what happens to our bodies and those we have in our immediate circles so the burden of the decision falls on our own shoulder. It feels like too much.

Ladies we can only do our best, whatever we feel that is according to our own situations and the information we have each collected, reviewed and weighed up.

The chances are it will be fine for everyone. I am looking forward to the day when the media and mums are looking back and saying, wise with hindsight, "What was all that swine flu fuss about, eh. Thank goodness it didn't come to anything."

I wasn't going to get it but after hearing 2 of you have makes me feel more eased about it. I don't go out as much now as don't want to catch anything !!
Have either of you had anymore symptoms yet other than sore arm ?

Morning! Nope not yet. Arm is quite sore, stopped me from getting a good nights sleep but it is no different to the soreness from previous seasonal flu jabs.

Dollshouse - now i'm confused!! My consultant said baby wouldn't be affected by the jab, but your is claiming it could cause birth defects why do these 'professionals' have such huge differences of opinions. Nightmare!

I'm not actually sure (not that i am a scientist) how the jab could cause birth defects as baby is fully formed now and is just growing bigger . Having lost a previous child to severe birth defects I'm very anxious about such a claim.

People keep saying the vaccine hasn't been tested on pregnant women, but my understanding is that they don't test many drugs on pregant women anyway. And I did read they are going to start offering the normal flu jab from next year, and women in the US already have been having it for years.

FWIW, I'm still undecided with my decision to have the SF jab!