A reader asks, “I’ve heard that women who are pregnant should get the swine flu shot, but what about those of us just trying to get pregnant? Should we also get a swine flu shot?”
According to a joint statement put out by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the answer is yes – women who are planning on getting pregnant should get a flu shot (aka flu vaccine). They should get both the regular seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 (formerly known as “swine flu”) shot before they become pregnant.
The reason the flu vaccines are being recommended for women who are pregnant and who are planning pregnancy is that the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu can cause serious illness and possible complications for pregnant women.
Plus, according to data collected so far on the 2009 H1N1 flu, pregnant women are more likely to die from complications of the H1N1 flu than women who are not pregnant. This includes women who are otherwise healthy.
While the vaccines for H1N1 and seasonal flu are highly recommended for women planning on getting pregnant, in the end, it’s still a choice you need to make for yourself. Some people are concerned about the safety of vaccines, and you should certainly look into the myths and facts surrounding the H1N1 flu shot before making a decision.
Also, if you are allergic to any of the ingredients used in the vaccines, or have a severe allergy to eggs, you should not get the vaccine. Of course, it’s best to speak to your doctor about any and all concerns.
The seasonal flu shot is available in most areas, but because of increased demands for flu shots in general this year, some areas are having a shortage. Call your doctor’s office to find out where you can get vaccinated.
The H1N1 shot has only just been released, and in some areas, only those in the “initial target groups” are being given the shot. The initial target groups include...
- Pregnant women
- Caregivers of children 6 months and younger
- Children ages 6 months to two years
- Healthcare workers
- People who are obese
- People with heart disease
- Diabetics
- Asthmatics and people other chronic lung diseases
- People with kidney disease
- People with suppressed immune symptoms (Like those with HIV)
- People with neurological or neuromuscular disorders
If any of that applies to you, then you can and should get the H1N1 shot now.
However, if you are not in one of those groups, you may need to wait a few weeks for the H1N1 shot to be more widely available.
Of course, if you happen to get pregnant while waiting, that would place you in one of the initial target groups, and the recommendation is to get the shot as soon as possible.
Sources:
2009 H1N1 Influenza and Pregnant Women. American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Accessed October 25, 2009. http://www.asrm.org/Media/misc_announcements/jointcdch1n1.html
Questions and Answers: 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. Center for Disease Control. Accessed October 25, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm
