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Group: Forum Members
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Summer07 (10/15/2008)
I have never had a flu shot and am concerned about the effects it will have on my lo. I've been doing some research on it and there is so much conflicting information. My doctor said there is a lower dosage meant for kids which is what I would get, but I am still worried about it having a negative effect on my lo. I don't care if I get sick, I just want to do what is best for her.
Studies to date have shown no adverse effects to the baby, but the NACI admits the sample size has been small (You can find the statement here: [url]http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/08vol34/acs-3/index-eng.php[url]). If you were to get influenza in your third trimester, you are more likely to suffer complications that require hospitalization. I think this would have more adverse effect on your baby then the vaccine. You should care if you get sick because if you get sick before baby, you are likely to be really sick and fever, difficulty breathing and vomiting would not be good for baby. After baby, you'd have to consider who would take care of the baby while you recover.
The question then becomes, how likely are you to get the flu? If you live the next 3 months in isolation..not very likely. Influenza is transmitted by respiratory droplets, so the more contact with other people, the more likely the transmission. Also consider how many people the people around you contact in a day too.
As for dosage...vaccines require a specific dosage in order to be effective. Everyone receives the same dose. Previously unvaccinated children under 3 receive it in two sessions separated by 4 weeks whereas everyone else gets a single shot. A pregnant woman would receive the adult dosage.
If you would like clarification on any conflicting information, please feel free to post your questions or PM me. I do believe this is your decision to make, but I'd like you to make it with correct and complete information. I did pass on the vaccine when I was just 4 weeks pregnant with my first so I'm not going to beat you over the head with a stick to get the vaccine. I do understand where you are coming from.
gr8blessings
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Group: Forum Members
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gr8blessings (10/15/2008)
Summer07 (10/15/2008)
I have never had a flu shot and am concerned about the effects it will have on my lo. I've been doing some research on it and there is so much conflicting information. My doctor said there is a lower dosage meant for kids which is what I would get, but I am still worried about it having a negative effect on my lo. I don't care if I get sick, I just want to do what is best for her.Studies to date have shown no adverse effects to the baby, but the NACI admits the sample size has been small (You can find the statement here: [url]http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/08vol34/acs-3/index-eng.php[url]). If you were to get influenza in your third trimester, you are more likely to suffer complications that require hospitalization. I think this would have more adverse effect on your baby then the vaccine. You should care if you get sick because if you get sick before baby, you are likely to be really sick and fever, difficulty breathing and vomiting would not be good for baby. After baby, you'd have to consider who would take care of the baby while you recover. The question then becomes, how likely are you to get the flu? If you live the next 3 months in isolation..not very likely. Influenza is transmitted by respiratory droplets, so the more contact with other people, the more likely the transmission. Also consider how many people the people around you contact in a day too. As for dosage...vaccines require a specific dosage in order to be effective. Everyone receives the same dose. Previously unvaccinated children under 3 receive it in two sessions separated by 4 weeks whereas everyone else gets a single shot. A pregnant woman would receive the adult dosage. If you would like clarification on any conflicting information, please feel free to post your questions or PM me. I do believe this is your decision to make, but I'd like you to make it with correct and complete information. I did pass on the vaccine when I was just 4 weeks pregnant with my first so I'm not going to beat you over the head with a stick to get the vaccine. I do understand where you are coming from. gr8blessings What about the mercury in the vaccine? How harmful is that to my lo?
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There are 3 influenza vaccines approved in Canada. Only 1, Fluviral, contains thimerosol as a preservative (note that Vaxigrip contains thimerosol in a multidose vial but not the single dose vial). Thimerosol is a molecule that includes a mercury. Be sure that you are getting a flu vaccine that does not contain thimerosol (this may be what PPs referred to as the "children's dosage").
gr8blessings
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gr8blessings (10/15/2008)
There are 3 influenza vaccines approved in Canada. Only 1, Fluviral, contains thimerosol as a preservative (note that Vaxigrip contains thimerosol in a multidose vial but not the single dose vial). Thimerosol is a molecule that includes a mercury. Be sure that you are getting a flu vaccine that does not contain thimerosol (this may be what PPs referred to as the "children's dosage").
gr8blessingsI work in healthcare and they are doing flu shots today and they do not have a thimerosol free vaccine. They said they have one that has a lower dosage for pregnant women and children. The mercury in the thimerosol makes me very uncomfortable. Ealier you mentioned complications if I were to get the flu in my third trimester. So far I have researched that the risk of complications is higher, but which is higher risk the mercury or flu?
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Yeah, most public funded programs don't do single dose vial. Do they mean that they have a vaccine with a lower concentration of thimerosal or lower dosage of the vaccine? The lower dosage of the vaccine makes no sense to me. I'm trying to remember what they gave me last year when I was pregnant with my 2nd. I think it was thimerosal free, but I'm not 100% on that.
This is what I found from Public Health.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/q_a_thimerosal-eng.php
Maybe that helps answer your questions on thimerosal?
The whole thing with the flu vaccine is that it is a bit of a crap shoot. First, we are betting that the vaccine contains the right strains and then whether flu actually shows up in our community and then that the vaccine would protect us. There are a lot of "what ifs" there that don't help much.
If you work in health care, my guess is you are much more likely to encounter influenza before anyone else. You are on the front lines and would be hit first if there was an outbreak. If it was me, I'd want to hedge my bets as much as possible, even though there is no guarantee. I'd say that the risk of complications from the flu is greater than the risks from thimerosal since the thimerosal has not been linked to any harm (do we say "yet"?).
I'd say go with your gut...if you are uncomfortable with it, then don't do it. How much harm is being done if you spend the rest of your pregnancy worrying about whether you made the right choice or not?
gr8blessings
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| The vaccine they are offering has a lower dosage of thimerosol. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this subject with me. Since I do work in healthcare, there is a lot of pressure to get the flu shot. However I do not work with patients, so there is less of a risk for me even though i do work in a hospital.
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