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flu shots

I am a person that has never received the yearly flu shot not do I ever get the flu. I am in my second month of pregancy and everyone is talking about the HINI vacine and it's recommendation for pregnant women. I have seen many people who get the regular flu shot for the first time become very ill within 24 to 48 hours. I have a fear that because I have never received a flu shot that the HINI will make me very sick and put my baby at risk.

Can you please comment on this for me.


Thank you,
CB
6 Responses
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951946 tn?1263565383
My midwife is leaving it up to me and I am leaning towards not getting it. I've never had a flu shot before in my life, and I haven't had the flu since I was about 12 years old. I do tend to get bronchitis and sinusitis though, so I am being very careful, and my DH and I are both taking a lot of D3 to boost our immune systems. Do some reading on reliable sites like WebMD and pubmed, and make the decision together with your doctor. If you're still feeling unsure, you could always seek a second opinion.
Helpful - 0
296340 tn?1336164001
My doctor recommends to have flu shot. Usually she gives flu shot after 12 weeks. Like Heather5 said... it's very important because flu shot can prevent your baby get sick...

H1N1... i haven't hear anything from my doctor.. i think she will give me that later...


Helpful - 0
318181 tn?1336443496
Well, my obgyn STRONGLY recommends getting the vaccine! He thinks it's very important for pregnant women, since their immune system is more compromised. Yeah, good hygiene helps, but it won't protect you 100%. They now say that the H1N1 virus can travel up to 10 feet...so no matter how clean your hands are, if you're at the store next to someone who has it, you could get it too. I have never before had any flu vaccines, but this year, since I'm pregnant, I got the regular one about a month ago and I just got the H1N1 this week. I had no side effects to either. Like Super_sally says, it's a personal decision; but to me, I just didn't want to take any chances, so I got the shots!

Good luck on your decision :-)
Helpful - 0
377493 tn?1356502149
Sorry, I should correct that first statement.  You cannot get the flu from the flu shot.  As I mentioned some can have negative reactions, although they seem to be in the minority.  
Helpful - 0
377493 tn?1356502149
You cannot get sick from the flu shot. It is not a live virus.  Some people do have side effects which can be flu like symptoms for 24-72 hours, but it's typically quite mild.  The vaccine does not take effect for about 2 weeks so it is still possible to catch the flu in that time frame.  Most people have no problem with the flu shot, but as with any medication it certainly is possible for some to have adverse reactions, allergic, etc.  

So far the H1N1 hasn't been too bad, that is certainly true. However, children and pregnant women are amongst the most likely groups for complications and some have even died.  

I agree with Sally, it is a very personal decision.  Talk to your Dr. and stay away from the unsubstantiated claims, rumors and fear that is floating around out there. When researching, stick to credible medical websites, and again, talk to your Dr.  Personally I chose to get vaccinated against both seasonal and H1N1, have had not problems or side effects and am glad I made the decision I did.
Helpful - 0
231441 tn?1333892766
Hi,

Getting the H1N1 vaccine is a personal decision, and it is not compulsory.  The international experience is that this flu is generally very mild for most people.

They do say that good hygiene, ensuring you have high vit d levels and diet rich in vitamin c are all more than adequate.  If you want to read the antis you can go to mercola(dot)com website.  But there are also a lot of groups pushing it.  Hard to know what to believe.

I personally do not get flu vaccination and I definitely won't be getting h1n1 vaccination, even if it were given for free and i am pregnant (am trying).

You'll need to do your research and make your own decision.
  
Helpful - 0
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