Official NHS advice says vaccine recommended at any stage of pregnancy. Is this right?

[ElmMum]

Posted this on the Swine Flu board but not got any responses. Anyone here got any thoughts?...

I've been reading a long thread in the pregnancy message board and following links to other sources. (Still only on page 7 of 29 pages of messages!)

Seems that back in October, the NHS advice was to vaccinate pregnant women after 13 weeks but the current advice online (repeated to me by my GP reading from the website - useless!) is that it's safe at any stage.

I'm almost decided to have the vaccine and will definitely be vaccinating my 20mo DD (although my GP surgery is currently out of vaccine and doesn't know when the next lot will arrive). But I don't know whether to wait til the 2nd trimester.

Does anyone have any links to recent advice about this? Looking for 'facts' rather than opinion if possible.

Many thanks

I don't know..,. i wanted it when trying to concieve but wasn't allowed. Now I feelI want to wait until after the first trimester. I am very pro vaccine, but they aren't tested on pregnant women, and so much can go wrong in the forst 12 weeks.

I will be very interested in what others think (especially those who would normally not worry about having a vaccine)

I preferred to wait until second trimester as there is a large amount of foetal development in the first trimester.
This is fact, but waiting until second trimester for the vaccine is more a 'gut feeling'
Sorry not to be more helpful

Sorry this in an opinion answer not a factual one.I'm pregnant and have turned down the vaccine as I don't think I need it especially as there isn't much SF around.
My Mum is a nurse who gives vaccinations in a GP clinic,she has given the SF vaccine to a few women in the first trimester and felt very uncomfortable about doing so(obviously not said anything to the Mums).
Personally if you want to go ahead I would wait until you are inthe 2nd trimester and the baby's organs are formed.Also I believe that Swine Flu is more dangerous to pregnant women in the 4rd trimester.

And both me and my Mum are very pro vaccine.However,I won't be getting my DD vaccinated either (23 months).But only cos I don't think it's necessary.

But you are not pregnant in the Fourth Trimester
sounds a rather American concept

I am 13 weeks but still havent had an invite - and apparently I have to wait for a letter inviting me. I am taking the DC's on wednesday for theirs.

Personally I wanted to wait until past 13 weeks at least. There is no evidence to prove harm before this stage however there is so much organ formation going on and I am not taking medications / eating brie / drinking alcohol so seems odd to have a vaccine.

I think now I will also wait until past 20 weeks - not so much because I believe it can cause any harm but because if something is seen to be wrong at the 20 week scan I just know I would question it.

However at this rate it is very likely I will be 20 weeks anyway when I have it - next clinic is wednesday when I will be 14 weeks, they only have them every 2 weeks and there are only so many wednesdays I can have the injection on.

I think I would be more inclined to think about having it earlier if there were many more cases at the moment. There are still thousands of cases around obviously but it doesnt seem at such a worrying level at the moment (although maybe that is just media related).

I want to have it before the baby is born because there is more risk in the third trimester and I dont want to risk anyone having it when the baby is tiny - the baby will then be protected for a few months (I think) and I certainly dont want SF post partum.

Thanks all. My instinct is to wait as from what I've read, SF is worst in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters and it does go against the grain to have a vaccine in these first few weeks.

May all be a mute point anyway since the GP is out of vaccine for the time being.

Cheers x

I am pro vaccination and haven't ever batted an eyelid at vaccinating against anything but I am in my first trimester and I will be waiting till the second as I just want to be sure.

My dc will ( 2 and 4 ) will both be having their vaccines the monday of half term and I will definitkey ask for it once I'm 13 weeks +

I had it at 5 weeks when I first went to the GP to tell them I was PG - I said wasn't it better to wait but the nurse said no, ASAP is recommended, and they happened to be doing a clinic there and then. Had I waited until 12 weeks I might not have bothered as the fuss had died down by then. I figure at 5 weeks there wasn't a placenta or anything to do much harm, and so far (touch wood, am 16 weeks) the baby seems to be developing fine.