seasonal flu shot in 1st trimester

[Ombeline]

On top of the swine flu thing, it's almost regular flu season. I've gotten mixed messages about this--flu shots are a good idea but not during the first trimester vs. getting the flu is more dangerous than any risks posed by a flu shot.

I'm about 5-6 weeks along (not sure exactly). My workplace is offering seasonal flu vaccines to all employees in a couple days. I can't easily contact my doctor between now and then to ask her advice because she's out of the office. For now I'm leaning towards not getting it, finding out if she thinks it's ok, and getting the shot some other way if she recommends it later. Any experiences? Thanks!

[Airforce020106@yahoo.com]

I had the same worries but I'm further along. I asked my Dr if I should get the flu shots this year even though I'm pregnant. He said all pregnant women should get the shot. And I just read an article on here that said that the CDC is recommending that all pregnant women get both flu and swine flu shots.
If your Dr is out of town they should have a nurse on call in case anyone has questions. So try calling the office and see if on the recording they will either give you a number for a nurse or transfer you to him/her. I hope everything gets cleared up.

http://www.parenting.com/article/Pregnancy/Health/Swine-Flu-and-Pregnancy

Here's the link to what I read on here this morning.

[craftyashley]

My doctor also said I needed both flu shots. She has a couple of her pregnant patients in ICU due to complications that arose when they got the flu. However, I am very hesitant at getting the H1N1. I feel it was hastily brought to market and not thoroughly tested- so I'm still on the fence if I'm getting this one.

[craftyashley]

Well there are the anti-vaccine people. We can all find the information we want to back up our own claims. Even that thimerosal isn't used in most vaccines anymore and still the autism rates are rising, so it's not thimerosal that is the problem.
And I would love to know what pregnant woman does not eat anything with any sort of preservatives. So yeah, not the best idea, but getting pneumonia from the flu or an even worse infection might just be a bit worse than some preservatives.
But I do agree with the worry that H1N1 hasn't been properly tested. I do plan on getting the flu shot- I don't get it every year, just when I'm pregnant. The complications from the flu while pregnant are worth the risk.

[craftyashley]

Thanks, Ruth! That makes me feel a lot better. :)

[Ombeline]

Thanks for all your replies, ladies. Looks like I opened up a can of worms! Now I'm better informed and I'll feel better about getting a flu shot. Also, I'll get to talk to my doctor after all because they rescheduled the vaccine fair at work. (There are no secretaries/nurses for most doctors where I live: often, a practice = one person and "out of the office" means go to the emergency room if you have a problem! I'm still getting used to it.)

[Ombeline]

Chelsey, thanks for your message. I found the same info as you but I also found much more info saying that any seasonal flu vaccine risks are much smaller than flu risks for the baby. I'm really anxious about doing everything right, especially after a couple mc's, so I talked to both my doctors and I even had my mom and friends ask their doctors for advice! And I asked all the nice ladies here. And the doctor who was going to give me the flu shot. Everyone told me to go for it... so I did. If you can stay isolated throughout flu season and are not a risk for a bad case of the flu, then I totally understand why you'd avoid the vaccine. It's just that I spend hours in PACKED public transportation every day, live in a major city, teach classes to students who come even when they're sick, have mild asthma and get insanely high delirious fevers every year with the flu. Fever can make you miscarry or really damage your baby, and it's definitely not a good idea to take a lot of fever meds.
Somebody just sent me this article from the NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/health/views/29essa.html?emc=eta1

[Jill_at_StorkRadio]

Yeah, I also think that if you get a fever in the first trimester that is the worst time to get it. I did not get a flu shot last year when I was pregs, and thank God it was fine, but now I am like that was not the smartest idea.

[Eje]

yes, besides complications like pneumonia, etc, the flu can cause damage to the fetus indirectly through high fever which is considered teratogenic. Also, wanted to add that the seasonal flu and the swine flu are not the same -they are of different strain. Therefore, the vaccine against the seasonal flu will not protect from H1N1, nor will it make it milder. It will protect from the seasonal flu though in case that someone is exposed to both types of flu - so in that sense it will make it easier for the body to cope with one infection (instead of two).