Updates on H1N1 flu vaccination important links
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/pregnant_qa.htm
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Safety of Flu Vaccines
Some pregnant women are concerned about the safety of 2009 H1N1 flu and seasonal flu vaccines. Both flu vaccines are safe. Vaccination is one of the most important things that you can do for yourself and your baby. Vaccination is safe for you and your baby. Both shots protect your baby from getting the flu. Your baby cannot get the flu shot until 6 months of age. The seasonal flu vaccine has been given safely to millions of pregnant women over the past 45 years. Flu shots have not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies. The 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine is made the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine. The type of mercury used in some vaccines has not been shown to be harmful to a pregnant woman or her unborn baby. Mercury has not been found to cause autism. However, if you are still concerned, there is an H1N1 shot without mercury [may or may not be available in your area]. The risk for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby of getting sick with the flu is far greater than being vaccinated.
If you did not get the flu vaccines during pregnancy, you should still get them even if you are breast feeding. This will help prevent you and your baby from getting the flu.
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Pregnant women should receive the “flu shot” for both H1N1 and seasonal flu and should NOT receive the nasal spray. Postpartum and breastfeeding women should also be immunized for both H1N1 and seasonal flu and can receive either the “flu shot” or the nasal spray. Both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations can be administered at the same time but in different injection sites. Both immunizations can be given at any time during pregnancy.
There are some people who should not get any flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:
- People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
- People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
- People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
- Children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group).
- People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated).