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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Why can we have the Swine Flu Jab but not the Normal Flu Jab

31 replies

jaynel · 06/11/2009 11:31

I'm sorry to start ANOTHER swine flu thread, but i'm really worried for my unborn and my dd, we are both due to have it next week, she is 11 and has mild Asthma, i work in a walk in centre and get a lot of people in with swine flu symptoms, although we can not see them and i'm protected from a screen i'm really concerned about getting Swine Flu but on the other hand i'm scared of having the jab and risking my unborn to all sorts, whilst in the womb and after birth. perhaps im being nieave but as this is very new i don't know what to do, and i don't think i can make a desision within a week. When i spoke to the nurses about it at work, they said its my desision. But why wasn't we offered/allowed the normal flu jab, what's the difference in the jabs, i was told we are being gineau pigs and there are lots of horrible things in the vaccine. Also my dd is quite healthy and only suffers with asthma when she has a cold, which at the mo is a lot i know i'm being a pain but as much advice as poss would be great, many thanks

OP posts:
piscesmoon · 06/11/2009 11:49

There is no way I would have a swine flu jab or any flu jab-certainly not if I was pregnant. I don't like the list of ingredients or the fact that it hasn't been sufficiently tested.

bigpreggybelly · 06/11/2009 11:58

I want the swine flu vaccine and the normal seasonal flu vaccine.

However, I'm not on the priority list for the normal flu vaccine on the NHS since pregnant women aren't on that list (unless you have other health problems). So my GP won't give me the normal flu vaccine even on a private basis, because they only give it to patients entitled to it free on the NHS.

I would go to Boots to get the normal flu vaccine as I usually do, but they won't do because I'm pregnant. So where am I supposed to get it from if they won't do and nor will the GP??? Its ridiculous.

Has anyone found a solution to this??

mosschops30 · 06/11/2009 12:00

If you read the few 'good' pieces of research online and information from the DoH and WHO websites you will see that the risk to pg women from swine flu is very high. You are 12 times more likely to catch it and then 4 times more likely to develop complications (hope Ive got this the right way round, its been a few days since I looked at the WHO stuff).
I have just had the SF vaccine this week, am 39 wks pg. I have to think about the fact that if I got SF and developed severe complications then my unborn child could potentially die, or survive but have no mother. I also have 2 children who I have a responsibility to, to protect myself and them.
I am pro vaccination, the dc's have been vaccinated against everything, and I have made the decision to protect myself and my family with this.

As a pregnant woman you are no more likely to catch seasonal flu than anyone else without underlying health problems, which is why you are not being offered the regular flu jab. It offers you no protection against the SF.

HTH

mosschops30 · 06/11/2009 12:02

bigpreg you should be able to pay for it privately, I cannot understand why Boots wont give it to you when there is no risk to pg women from the seasonal flu vaccine and if you were asthmatic or diabetic you could get it from your GP.
Have you tried a local private clinic? A lot of private clinics round here are advertising private seasonal flu jabs

Thandeka · 06/11/2009 12:12

My doc said from next year the protocol was changing and pregnant women were being offered the flu jab. However before Swine Flu hit she was also refusing to let me have my usual flu jab (I have it every year) because we were TTC.
So I am a bit hmmmm as we dont have any data on the effect of the normal seasonal flu jab on pregnant women let alone the SF jab.

I had an appintment for the jab on wednesday but i missed it and still not sure if I will or not. Am leaning towards not...

Original poster
jaynel · 06/11/2009 12:17

i'm so confused and worried, which is probably not helping me at all, how long does the jab even last for, is it yearly?

OP posts:
Horton · 06/11/2009 12:20

You can have the normal flu jab when you are pregnant, but only from the second trimester onwards, at least that is what my very reliable and sensible GP told me. It is only offered to those with underlying health conditions, though, presumably as there is not a particularly high risk of complications/hospitalisation for an averagely healthy pregnant woman.

abdnhiker · 06/11/2009 12:22

North America recommends the regular flu jab for pregnant women I think so I don't think there's a reason not to have it in pregnancy, just that you don't need it (regular flu is unlikely to cause any harm to you or the baby except for feeling absolutely hell for a couple days. I had it in both pregnancies!). Swine flu can be serious for pregnant women though which is why the jab is recommended. Personally, I'm hoping my SIL who's in her second trimester will get the swine flu jab - I'd worry a lot more about her if she didn't!

abdnhiker · 06/11/2009 12:23

the regular flu jabs are prepared yearly to try to cover the current strains of seasonal flu (as decided by the WHO) so the protection will only last for the current year (although there's no guarantee that a new strain wont pop up).

difficultdecision · 06/11/2009 12:32

the regular flu jab is safe for pregnant women and is given to pregnant women in the normal flu-risk groups at any trimester in pregnancy. However, being pregnant and otherwise well does not increase your risk of becoming seriously ill from normal flu - it DOES increase your risk of being seriously ill if you get swine flu as that is one of the diffrences between normal flu strains and this new one - that is why pregnant people with no other risk factors are being offered the swine flu vaccine but not the other one.

Horton · 06/11/2009 12:57

"the regular flu jab is safe for pregnant women and is given to pregnant women in the normal flu-risk groups at any trimester in pregnancy"

When I recently visited my doctor he checked the packaging of the flu vaccine and the instructions on it, and it is definitely recommended only for use in the second trimester onwards.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 06/11/2009 13:01

So when in pregnancy do you get the Swine Flu jab?
Are all pregnant women being offered it will I need to ask at my surgey or will they automatically offer?
I haven't read enough mysef to have made my decision yet but i'm curious.

mosschops30 · 06/11/2009 13:11

yes all pg women are being offered the SF vaccine, however at less than 12 weeks Id be a bit more cautious. Your baby is still developing and your risk of SF complications are lower in the 1st trimester anyway.

Not all GPs have the vaccine yet, and a lot (including mine) are dragging their feet dpeneding on where you are. You should get a letter or phonecall, but no harm in ringing and registering your interest

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 06/11/2009 13:28

I am in no hurry for it if I do decide and it wouldn't be this early on anyway.
I do know my gphas them in as the recorded message said so yesterday when I phoned for an appointment for dd so I may call and see what they say.

Besom · 06/11/2009 13:29

I got offered both last week because of my job. I told them I was ttc and the nurse said 'is there a chance you could pregnant because it's fine for the sf but not for the other one'. She didn't say why this was.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 06/11/2009 13:29

Ooh sorry forgot to say thank you

lucy101 · 06/11/2009 13:41

One of the reasons I had the swine flu jab is because in North America they have been giving the normal flu jab to pregnant women for years with apparently no problems.

Original poster
jaynel · 06/11/2009 14:13

is anybody against the jab, i heard a pregnant women die after having the jab?

OP posts:
Biobytes · 06/11/2009 14:16

But, are the ingreidents in the seasonal flu vaccines somewhat different from those in previous years?

mosschops30 · 06/11/2009 14:54

the main ingredients in the seasonal flu jab are largely the same year after year, its just the strain of flu they add which differs.

jaynel where did you 'hear' that? Some people die after drinking a cup of tea, doesnt mean the tea killed them until proven

I have just been to have normal flu jab today as didnt want to have them both together on monday, in the notes it says seasonal flu jab safe for women in 2nd and 3rd trimester and breast feeding

MarshaBrady · 06/11/2009 14:58

I am booked in for Monday, am 35 weeks pregnant.

I keep trawling through the webchat on here with Dr Salisbury and still not decided.

hensden · 06/11/2009 16:01

So in America Preganant woman are given the normal flu jab without worry but aren't their jabs free from the mercury and other nasties that pandemrix contains?

mosschops30 · 06/11/2009 16:06

your confusing things, pregnant women in this country can have the normal flu vaccine. Its just not routinely given as poses low risk compared to SF

Biobytes · 06/11/2009 16:20

Apparently the ingredients are a bit different this year as compared to previous years. Hence my question (yes, in the seasonal flu vaccine)

difficultdecision · 06/11/2009 17:10

Horton - there are lots of seasonal flu jabs , for example, we use Enzira
emc.medicines.org.uk/document.aspx?documentId=20070#PREGNANCY

for those people at increased risk it is given at any trimester because there is a medical reason for needign it so benefit > possible risk. After the second trimester even boots could give it.