Flu Shot or Not?!?! - Saint Paul,MN

If you're typically healthy, I vote no (for you and the kids). I've always been healthy and average about 1 winter cold/flu per year. However, the one fall I got the flu shot that follwoing winter was miserable--I was sick almost all the time!

If you're worried about HiNI, here's what I copied/pasted from the CDC (Center for Disease Control Web site:

Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu?
The seasonal flu vaccine is NOT expected to protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu.

More Q and A's are on http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination...

I got one with both pregnancies and in the years inbetween that I was not pregnant. It's so hard to figure out what information is accurate and what is not. I have always been on the fence with ALL vaccines. Up until this year, I have had my children get the flu shot and all of the other recommended vaccines except for Hep A. I think that this year we are going to opt out for both the flu and H1N1. I just asked my husband last night how he felt about the flu shots for the kids. His response was "definitely not the H1N1" and that he "trusted my judgement" for the flu shot. He has gotten sick in the past from the shot and also had arm pain for several weeks after receiving the shot. I think if you take care of yourself and your kids, wash hands, eat healthy and do other things to boost your immune system that you'll be fine.

Hasn't it been proven, too, that the flu strains mutate so fast that the vaccine will never be current with the current strain?

Good luck with your decision and your pregnancy!

I always get one, and just got one today, at 10 weeks pregnant. Go for it!

Yes, I have gotten the flu shot during pregnancy and not during pregnancy. I would say you should do it especially since you have little children. The last thing you want to do is get sick and be in bed for a week. Like others have said on here too is that your immune system is depleted since you are pregnant right now. It wouldn't hurt to get it, and your doctor is strongly recommending it. I don't think they would recommend it if they didn't think it was necessary. Also, make sure to get the H1N1 vaccine when it comes out too. Good luck!

My personal opinion-no flu shot. They weaken your immune system. You are better to strengthen your system and avoid the toxins. Good luck with the pregnancy! :)

The flu vaccine is full of preservatives that are neurotoxins...thimerisol, aluminum, formaldehyde...just to name a few. I skip the vaccine and work on improving my immune system instead.

That being said...it's your decision. Good luck!

There is a lot of misinformation and hype about vaccines out there on the internet and of course getting a vaccine is a personal decision. I did want to mention that one of the reasons health professionals really emphasize the flu vaccine for pregnant women is that when you are pregnant your body enters a state of mild immune suppression (to keep it from rejecting the baby?) Thus, it is much easier to become sick when you are pregnant and if you do get sick you have a much harder time fighting the illness because the usual immune support just isn't available to your body. If you have other little ones running around the house you have many more sources of germs to make you sick. If you are unsure about getting yourself vaccinated right now, you could protect yourself a little from those sources by having all your children (and husband and anyone else you spend a lot of time with) vaccinated. Of course, hand washing and not touching your face will also prevent exposure, but while you have a lot of control over what you do, it is a lot harder to monitor children.

Personally, I get the flu shot every year (pregnant or not) because I don't like to get sick and I trust that my doctor has my best interest in mind. I do verify that I get a thimerisol free shot, but almost all shots are thimerisol free these days.

My doctor told me a sad story about a mom with the flu and a baby, 38 weeks along. They took the baby out when the mom got super sick but by then the Flu had already attacked the babies heart and needed a transplant. So sad! I have never gotten one either but I got one this year. Better "safe" then sorry.

The flu shots are perfectly safe, the flu is not safe for a fetus. The H1N1 shot is a variation on the flu shot that has been around for years (NOT completely new). I got a flu shot when I was pregnant. Some years since I have and some years not, mostly procrastination on my part, no objection to them.

Vaccinations of all kinds have saved millions of lives from many serious diseases. Please don't fall for the scare tactics and mis-information posted on the Internet.

It is your 2- and 4-yr-old children who are at risk if you contract H1N1, as the most vulnerable population (risk of death) is children and elderly, not healthy adults or fetuses.

Hi H.! Don't bother getting it! It does weaken the immune system and the CDC has admitted 2 years running that it's not very effective.
I personally got the flu from ladies that I worked with in a group facility. They all had the shot per their guardians request and I was the only staff member that declined the shot. 16 of our staff became ill, I was sick for 3 days and my co-workers were sick for 2-3 WEEKS. Oh, and I was pregnant, by the way. :)

Oh! And I would NEVER get the H1N1 vaccine! It's so brand new they have no idea the negative effect that it could have on the human body let alone a fetus.

Have a happy, healthy pregnancy!

Okay, I have to say your soundest most informed advice was from Nadine.. (?sp, since going on memory). This year in particular you need to ge tyour flu shot. Pregnant women are actually higher on the list and the H1N1 is actually needed in 2 parts. As she stated, your body is already decreased in immune suppressors when pregnant and to top it all off, there are not many medications that you are allowed to help you feel better or spped the recovery along any faster. With a child who has the potential to bring it home to you, I feel you should have no question. Let's say you do get sick, what ar eyou going to take to help relieve your symptoms? You better have a loooot of reserves for the baby during those sick days. Go ahead and get it, you are actually on the top of the list for being able to get it when available. :)

I got the flu shot when I was pregnant even though I never thought it was a big deal before. I was worried that if I did get sick- how would a fever affect the baby? And if I had the flu when he was born [I can't imagine going through labor while having the flu that would be miserable!] I didn't want to risk him getting so sick as such a tiny newborn. Of course you may still get sick from something else, and the baby can still get sick from something else when he/she is born...but I think it's better to do whatever you can and try to avoid it as much as possible.

The two clinics my son and I go to only use preservative-free vaccines, including the flu shot. You just have to ask what kind they use- and I think it is becoming more common not to use preservatives because of the association with autism.