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Pregnancy

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

Do pregnant women still need swine flu vaccine?

15 replies

Londonista · 06/07/2010 14:54

I am 20 weeks pregnant and have been advised by midwife to get swine flu vaccine. My surgery says that have stopped running vaccination clinics as swine flu has been eradicated (!!). Hmm.... naturally it was delivered with an eye roll and Vicky Pollard-esque facial intonations...
Anyway, would be interested to know from other pregnant ladies what they are being advised?

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WhatWillSantaBring · 06/07/2010 14:58

I was told it was still recommended, but they won't be giving them till 'flu season in the Autumn, as its likely that the virus will have changed by then.

Still dubious about taking it, as they don't give normal 'flu vaccines to pg women, and so I don't know how they can be confident that there are no side-effects on the baby.

Hoping that the issue will have gone away by the Autumn!

lovechoc · 06/07/2010 15:09

I had the vaccine when I was around 20 weeks, so that was about 4 months ago now. I'm due on Sunday. Many pg women have had the vaccine.

There's a chance you may have to wait another couple of months before you can receive it, as the PP has stated.

Londonista · 06/07/2010 15:19

Yes, probably right, though does feel a little bit worrisome as I spend 2 hours a day with my head in someone's armpit on the Northern Line, so hopefully risk is low currently.
Would be good if surgery's were able to give that advice, ie wait till autumn, rather than looking at you as if you were requesting something odd/subversive. Naturally I realise I am asking a lot for the left hand (midwives) to talk to the right hand (surgeries), but I can dream.
TBH I wasn't that keen on getting it in the first place, but have a friend who lost baby due to it earlier in the year (high fever triggered miscarriage) so feel duty bound to enquire.

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happynappies · 06/07/2010 15:33

I'm 30 weeks and had swine 'flu vaccine last week. My surgery had stopped running the clinics but when I asked what I was supposed to do then, they arranged for me to have the jab there and then - they have plenty of stocks I believe!

oldmum42 · 06/07/2010 15:48

IMO, yes. Swine flu HAS NOT been eradicated. It's still circulating at low levels all over the uk, is at high levels in parts of the world where it is flu season now, and is expected to rise again here in the Autumn. The vaccine will be the same.

True, in the UK, "they" don't recommend yearly flu vaccine to pregnant women, but in other countries, including the USA, they do, as the recognise that the risk to the fetus (from all flu viruses, and I mean real flu, not "the cold" is huge, in terms of m/c and stillbirth, where as the risk/theoretical risk from the jabs is very small).

If you decide to have the vaccination (and it's up to you to decide), DO NOT wait for the Autumn, the idea is to get protected before the infection rates rise again. Your GP may not be running flu clinics right now, but as a pregnant woman, you are in a particular, much higher risk group and should get the jab now (if you choose to have it). People with certain conditions such as lung disease are about 2x more likely to die of Swine flu, pregnant women are 6 times more likely (this comes from American research into cause of death of the first 500 people to die there). But usually overlooked is the toll this virus has caused in unborn babies. Like all flu viruses, it causes many women to M/c and causes still births, even amongst women who are not extremely ill themselves.

There are a couple of other threads about this (try page 2 or 3 of preg threads if you want to read them), with people expressing opinion both for and against.

Obviously I am very much in the "for" camp!

DetectivePotato · 06/07/2010 16:39

I will be getting it. Just waiting until I am further along, currently 9 weeks.

Londonista · 08/07/2010 15:44

In the end, I rang Wandsworth Primary Care Trust, they said yes preggo ladies deffo need to get it, so they are telling my surgery to organise a clinic. So that's that. Apparently the risky time is 2nd trimester, season is irrelevant.

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sedgiebaby · 08/07/2010 16:04

Having read about the unknowns related to the vaccines themselves (there were two and one is WHO recommend to pregnant women over the other neither of which have been 'tested' on pregnant women) I felt uncomfortable about having the injection/s, this of course a personal decision etc.

It is possible to get the recent stats for infection rates in your area to make a judgement call, when I was considering it, the infection was on the decline and cases per 100,000 population for my area meant the likelihood of contracting the flu was very, very smalland continued decline. On balance I decided to take my chances, because of the unknowns around the vaccines themselves. However I'm in my 3rd tri I will have my baby before the fall and another wave. That said later in the year it will have possibly mutated and it could be that the current vaccine is ineffective. There may of course be another new vaccine (with the same unkowns)

I think this question is a really difficult one for pregnant women, most of us don't want any meds unless absolutely necessary. If I was TTC, I would be happy to take it but would not qualify for it as you are only offered when actually pregnant

theparrs · 08/07/2010 22:14

My MW told me back in April that she could not advise me whether to have it or not have it at present, as they had no direction to enforce it being given from the NHS trust they work for.
I have a DS who is 22 months and he never had it last yr - nor me.
MW told me entirely my decision but I doubt my surgery have it at the moment.

I guess we will wait and see how the next few months progress and what the autumn brings.

coppertop · 08/07/2010 22:18

I'm 29wks and the swine flu vaccine has never been mentioned to me.

AxisofEvil · 09/07/2010 09:10

I phoned my Gp and was told they're not doing them for anyone any more!

sonsmum · 09/07/2010 10:18

I had the vaccine when 25wks last year. DD now here and completely healthy.

Last year was when worries were at their highest. I was in such a dilemma whether to get it or not (but would not have had it under any circumstance in the 1st trimester.)

The effects on pregnanct women (particularly in the 3rd trimester) can be very severe/fatal.

I heard too many cases of pregnant women being adversely affected.

I had the vaccine out of worry for my DH and other kids.

Had the pregnancy been this year, I do not think I would not have had the vaccine....the risks in my opinion are much lower than they were thought to be last year......

....however continue to take care with hand hygiene.

first1 · 09/07/2010 11:35

I had vaccine at 15weeks last year. DD is now 6weeks and perfectly healthy

nunnie · 09/07/2010 11:50

Rang my GP's and they have told me all their swine flu vaccines have been recalled and they are no longer offering it.

Cosmosis · 09/07/2010 12:18

33 weeks and it's never been mentioned to me.

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