Flu Jab?

[meldmac]

This is taken from the cdc website.

"The Flu Shot is Safe for Pregnant Women. The risk of premature labor and delivery increases when pregnant women get the flu, and there is a greater chance of their babies having birth defects. Flu shots are a safe way to protect the mother and her baby from serious illness and complications from flu."

 

[DobbyForever]

I was told it was highly encouraged for pregnant women to get the shot because the flu is so dangerous if it gets bad. One cautionary is that I have Kaiser, and they will not allow you to get the shot in clinic. You must have a doctor's order and get it done at your prenatal. You have to get the shot and not the nasal spray.

 

[Weebles]

A couple questions/comments for a previous poster: (1) Flu shots have been given to pregnant women for decades? Can you provide a citation to support that? (2) By 'preservative free', do you mean free of thimerosal? I believe most flu shots still contain thimerosal, however the amounts are generally smaller (unless you live in a poor country. Then you still get thimerosal. Because, really, who cares if we inject poor African kids full of mercury?). (3) Scientific studies can't provide proof that shots don't cause negative things x, y, and/or z. They can merely say, at best, that they don't cause them with statistical significance. There's a difference.

I provided some quick links to the CDC's website. WHO (world health organization) would be another option and they in fact list it as an essential medication. The flu vaccine became widely available in the US in 1945. 1945. That's just a fact and doesn't require research although I did have to look it up, it's been a few years since I was in college. We are all equally capable of researching this topic and I feel very very strongly about vaccination in general (not just the flu vaccine) due to my education and line of work.

Most shots do still contain thimerosal and yes, even the preservative free version contains a trace amount of mercury at 1 microgram or less. Like another poster said, you'll get that just from eating. Like I said earlier, if the preservative free version wasn't available for me I would've happily received the one with thimerosal. Maybe if I ate a lot of fish I'd have cut back that week or something.

The CDC and the FDA cofund the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Do vaccine reactions occur? Yes, they do. I'm not denying that, my own child had a reaction (which was reported) and all his vaccinations after that were delayed 6 months to 1 year. But I would NEVER skip them unless is it was medically necessary. At times it is and these individuals rely on herd immunity to protect them. And then there are diseases like tetanus. While not spread from person to person (it's from an environmental bacteria) Google some pictures of tetanus.. When you come across some images of what it does to the body, how could anyone skip it for themselves, let alone their child. Other diseases while less graphic have been on the rise like whooping cough, all due to anti-vax. My own father almost died as an infant because of whooping cough. You bet I was vaccinated. I work in healthcare and cannot describe the feeling of anger and sorrow all mixed together when a child or infant dies a preventable death. When the state health department gets involved. (Yes, the cause is known, there are reportable diseases. And while I'm branching into other diseases here the flu is one that is also reported). I don't know if you just are not comfortable with vaccination while pregnant but I feel so strongly about it that I can't help talking about its importance in general and my train of thought is fragmenting. Attempting to get back on topic, the pandemic disease one of my professors most feared was the flu and sources I trust advocate it's safetly during pregnancy.

Anyway, the risk vs benefit is hugely in favor of vaccination.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/14/1/07-0667_article

Peer reviewed and sourced article.

 

[BB1982]

Weebles, you clearly know a lot about the subject and are very passionate about it. In your opinion is there any benefit to waiting until after 12 weeks? I understand you are saying there is no evidence to support any risk, but I know in my heart if I have it now (9 wks) I'll worry, and should anything bad happen I'll always blame myself for it. I'm in a hard position as OH doesn't want me to have it, and it's his child too, but I do understand the risks if I don't choose to have it.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I had WC but declined Flu.

 

[Ally2015]

i've not had flu or whooping, although i may get whooping still. I need to do some more research before i make a solid decision. But this is quite an interesting thread and i will follow it x

 

[Weebles]

Weebles, you clearly know a lot about the subject and are very passionate about it. In your opinion is there any benefit to waiting until after 12 weeks? I understand you are saying there is no evidence to support any risk, but I know in my heart if I have it now (9 wks) I'll worry, and should anything bad happen I'll always blame myself for it. I'm in a hard position as OH doesn't want me to have it, and it's his child too, but I do understand the risks if I don't choose to have it.

I didn't know if it was a concern so early either. I hadn't even had my first appointment yet as I was barely even 5 weeks so I made a phone call and my Dr said it was fine at any time. I've seen the heartbeat twice since then so that assures me too. Depending on what kind of vaccine it is, not all are considered safe during pregnancy so it's a good idea to inform whoever is administering it. I don't think there is any benefit to waiting until 12 weeks. It takes your body a little while to build up immunity afterwards so if you get exposed before you've had the chance to do so the shot will not have had enough time to do you any good. There aren't too many things in this world that don't pose a risk and we each do our best to weigh the risk vs the benefit. We are all just playing the odds. My best advice is to be informed of what those odds are. The pic below is from an anime series my son had me watch but the quote is fantastic (if not a bit heavy but that was just the nature of the show). The point is, make the choice you think is best and whatever the outcome you chose what you thought was right.

 

[arturia]

I finally had my flu jab over the weekend. Pharmacist was good, administration didn't hurt much. Arm hurt for a day afterwards, that's pretty expected. There's a lump of fluid in with the muscle! I had a mild headache when I got it, and it was worse the following day when a night's sleep would normally fix it. Uncertain if that was a side effect.

I figured I probably had more mercury with the oversized portion of salmon my parents fed me last Thursday. No more fish for a couple weeks I think.

 

[Weebles]

It's possible, it causes an immune reaponse so the headache could just be from your body building up its defenses. I get a sore arm from it too and since I sleep in my left side I prefer to have it done on my right. Thanks for sharing, those are pretty much your typical side effects and nothing to be afraid of!

 

[second.time]

I just had a flu shot at seven weeks. My packet from my OB-GYN included a special flier about the risks of contracting flu when you're pregnant, and it specifically says that it's safe to receive the shot during any trimester.

I let the pharmacist know I was pregnant and asked for the preservative-free vaccination, which they had. So far so good. I also had my husband get the shot so that hopefully I'm less likely to be exposed to the flu at all (he's a teacher).

My mother was very anti-vax when I was young and it took me a long time to shake off that fear as an adult. But I've never had a bad reaction and I love the peace of mind it gives me.

 

[arturia]

It's possible, it causes an immune reaponse so the headache could just be from your body building up its defenses. I get a sore arm from it too and since I sleep in my left side I prefer to have it done on my right. Thanks for sharing, those are pretty much your typical side effects and nothing to be afraid of!

I wasn't afraid of those, just reporting.

My headaches are -usually- from too much screen time, in part because screen time is a requirement of my career. (I develop software and the 20/20/20 rule is basically impossibly to apply when contrasted with this deep sort of concentration a dev can get into) It felt like one of those more than anything else, it just lasted way longer than I expected it to.

 

[DobbyForever]

to follow up, I just got mine. Kaiser, you just walk up to the gyn department (no appointment needed), fill out the questionnaire, and they'll do it right then and there . I work as a school teacher and, like I said before, waiting until I was 8 weeks is not an option when I have students coming in, going home with fevers, and being out for a week.

 

[Weebles]

I wasn't afraid of those, just reporting.

Gotcha! I meant to direct that comment more towards people who do have concerns.

 

[BB1982]

What is in the preservative that makes people not want it?

 

[arturia]

BB1982 - Thimerosal's chemical formula includes a mercury atom. For some reason that freaks people out, even though the quantity is smaller than you'd get from a meal with fish.

Mercury facts: Fish mercury is usually present as methyl mercury. Looks to be a pretty basic biological compound that just so happens to be biotoxic. It tends to accumulate in our bodies over time, and the body slowly cleans it up. It's more chronic or high acute level exposure that's a problem. (like a busted mercury thermometer) And non-toxic levels of exposure mostly just lowers IQ. (the effect is more permanent during neurological development though. If you follow the guidelines on fish consumption there aren't really measurable effects.) (1)

Thimerosal metabolizes to ethyl mercury which has measured equivalent effects to methyl. (2)

Some references:
1
2

 

[BB1982]

Ok, I don't eat seafood, and haven't for about 25 years now so I'm guessing I really don't need to be concerned about that then! Thanks for the info x

 

[MemphisBelle]

No way. I was ordered to get one with my third pregnancy, and I immediately lost my baby at 13 weeks. Flu vaccines were never tested for safety on pregnant women. I'm holistic. No one is forcing me this time.

 

[LillyFleur]

I got it for free last year as I was pregnant but this year I've paid private and got it again as I was so impressed, it was the first year both me and DH weren't wiped out with flu (I made him get it too)

 

[blessedmomma]

Not a chance would I get it ever.

Op- I wouldn't be worried about the food you eat. Our immune system is mostly in our gut. Your body is made to deal with things this way. Injecting something directly in your blood is not the same. I'm sure you know what to avoid food wise during pregnancy, or what to limit.

 

[Moet]

I got mine just a few days after my bfp. Had one last pregnancy too. Wouldn't want to get the flu while pregnant or bring it home to my toddler. Also I work with vulnerable patients so it's highly recommended at my workplace.