Wait for swine flu vaccine in third trimester?

[roary]

I should preface this by saying I am definitely having the vaccine, so am not worried in any way about it and don't really want to discuss the 'have it or not' aspect.

I'm 20 weeks pregnant and have just called to find out why I haven't been summoned yet to be vaccinated and have been told that I will be when I reached the third trimester. Is there any sound reason for this? My understanding is that pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy have died, not just later on. Also, is this just my surgery or is this happening elsewhere? If it is just my surgery and there is no sound reason for waiting I am going to insist on having it now (I am Canadian, and there has been a sudden upsurge of deaths from H1N1, which seems to be getting more serious).

are you in Canada?

the risks of swine flu complications are higher in the 3rd trimester

I must admit I'm a bit confused as to why you were told this. Apparently complications are at their highest (or so all the NHS & WHO stuff is saying) when you are in your second and third trimester....so you should really be offered it now.

If you are keen to have it I would go back to your GP and ask them. I had the vaccine at 14 weeks (my GP called me in for it)

I am here in the UK. In Canada I would have been vaccinated weeks ago so all my Cdn friends and family are wondering why I have not been - esp given the upsurge in deaths.

every practice is only being sent 500 doses regardless of size so perhaps yours is rationing it

My surgery didn't have any vaccine last week

I would recommend booking a doc appt and quizzing them

Roary - my GP is offering the vaccine to all pregnant women, I would call them back and ask to be given it.

I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant but when I inquired at my surgery I was told I wasn't on the high-priority list (at least, not in the top 500). So who knows who's getting it!

People aged between six months and 65 years in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups will be getting it before pg women

That's interesting EldonAve - our surgery has offered me the vaccine (23 weeks pregnant), but are dragging their feet over giving it to dd, who is in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk group. I guess it's varying from practice to practice, or PCT to PCT.

I'm 32 weeks tomorrow and will be offered it next week apparently.

It seems that despite a 'national flu strategy' every practice does this differently. I have to say that given the death rates among pregnant women, which really are alarming, I am surprised that they are not making more of a consistent effort.

I think I will call and see if I can get it.

Get ready for an astonishingly ( as in several inches across) red swollen hot lump on your arm for 3 days. Clearly better than getting swine flu, but all the same, a noteworthy side effect!

I am 20 weeks at the moment and was in my gp practice this week for my daughter but thought i'd ask on my way out about the vaccine and if I'd be called or would I need to make an appointment. The receptionist said oh all pregnant women have been called and tested I wouldn't have been asking had that been the case.

I made my appointment but then I came down with a nasty cold (no fever so just a cold) and my gp advised I postponed the vaccine until I felt better. I spoke to my GP about my concerns about getting the vaccine while I was still quite early on and he agreed I should wait until I felt more comfortable. He wasn't very convincing on the vaccine at all.

I was then in again yesterday for something else (i'm honestly not a hypochondriac ) and saw a different GP who immediately asked if I had the vaccine, asked why not and when I explained she basically said to book an appointment straight away.

It's quite annoying when you get conflicting advice, but the second GP told me if I refused it now I wouldn't be on the high risk list and that I might not get it later.

Has anyone else been told this? I do want to get the vaccine but not until I'm in the third trimester.

I'm not sure what to do now!