HINI Vaccination (Swine Flu)

[Mochica]

The last couple of days, I've been hearing a lot of reports re: pregnant women being a high-risk group for the swine flu. It was on NPR today and BBC. CNN reported a case last week in Florida. Apparently the flu is robbing the mom and the baby of oxygen enough to sustain both?

It was a biggish deal there for awhile and dropped off, with people saying they expected to see it back in the fall (flu season.) In the meantime, the US was keeping an eye on the Southern hemisphere which would be going through it all first. Then last week they had vaccinations going around Seattle as a test market in the US. I considered going in but then found I was pregnant so opted not to.

Now I may be a candidate for taking the vaccination again, no longer being pregnant, and wonder if it's a good idea to do that if I'm trying to conceive during this upcoming flu season. I never get flu shots b/c the one time I did, I got the flu really badly. That makes me a bit nervous. I feel unsure if it's a good move or not. Are there any doctors giving advice on this?

[angelausp]

Here is a link to another interesting article that I read that discussed H1N1 vaccine testing in pregnant women.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-09-21-swine-h1n1-pregnant_N.htm

[bny807]

here is the link to the news release from atlanta this week ---http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=14796453  

[bny807]

Wow, funny yall bring this up!   i work in an emergency room as welll.. and we are seeing AT LEAST three cases a day or so... my dr told me a while back, to not see any patients with fever or suspected flu.. so i've been doing that.. but i usually dont get sick from patients.. I usually break down and get sick once my coworkers are all sick.. which every year (if the vaccine doeesnt work) we pass around the flu.. i had my dr apt yesterday and after seeing that ABC news report we decided i'd just stop working a little earlier than planned.. just to be safe... only three weeks sooner than planned, but since school will be going back into session we are just going to do that.. I usually get the flu shot as well, even though the last few years it hasn't been too effective.   As far as getting this new vaccine, i think i will pass though.. at least for a while - i think it was the flu outbreak in 1978, but they hussled a vaccine and people ended up having some side effects.. so i just dont want to risk it.. I will try to stay away from sick people and use lots of hand sanitizer!   but yea looks like its hitting pregnant women very hard (harder than the normal flu)...
   It was such a hard decision about work, but i just know if anything happened i would say what if forever, and it has taken SOOO much to get to this point.. we decided not to risk it anymore (for many other reasons as well as the flu)

[Schtroumpfette]

This is also starting to really concern me here in Europe.  

There is still no set date as to when the vaccine will become available - it may not be before the Autumn when they expect the pandemic to escalate.  And even when the vaccine is available how do you know if it really is safe for a pregnant woman and her baby?  Surely only time will tell.  

I have heard that the treatment drug Relenza is safer to take if you do get the virus as it is less likely to cross the placenta - don't know how true this is.  In the meantime I'm just washing my hands every 20 seconds, steering clear of public transport and hoping for the best..!

[thetam01]

wow, i am pregnant and a bit nervouse about it too.. i work in an emergency room and hope i dont come in contact with it..  there is a lot of news lately on pregnant woman being at high risk, so i probably will take the vaccine but i,m afraid of this particular vaccine over the flu vaccine..i have not heard anything more than whats written above..

[dainsey]

Wow Amanda, please keep us posted!  That's another thing I don't want to worry about!  My brain can't take any more :-)

[adgal]

Funny you should ask this today.  We had our first confirmed case at work today.  It is a co-worker and she is in the hospital.  Now, she works in a different location then I do and I have never had direct contact with her, but I do work with others who have had direct contact with her.  They are sending out an official notification tomorrow, but because I am pregnant, my boss pulled me aside today to tell me.  I am being tested tomorrow and apparantly here they are giving pregnant women tamiflu (or something like that) until such time as the vaccine becomes available.  We have a medical clinic at work, so they will advise me tomorrow and I will let you know what they say.  I do know that when the vaccine is readily available they are prioritizing pregnant women. The regular flu vaccine is safe to have during pregnancy, and is actually recommended. I will be having it again this year.  I'll update you on what the Dr's in our clinic tell me.  Amanda