So of course I have to be pregnant when this new strain of the flu is going around. As I stated in an earlier post, I've already gotten my seasonal flu shot but now is the question of whether or not to get the H1N1 shot. There is at least one school that I consult with who already has a confirmed case of it and I'm pretty sure another one will be announcing soon.....but is it really necessary? It has been an internal struggle for me lately. I mean I'm healthy so I should be able to recover, right? Well according to the articles even the most healthy person can be severely affected by this strain of the flu.....
Anyone who knows about my profession might question whether or not I believe in vaccines as a whole (for those of you who don't know I work with children with Autism). I have always been a believer that vaccines themselves are not the cause of Autism....However I do believe that we give WAY to many vaccinations at one time to our small children. This little guy will get his vaccinations, but will most likely get them on a graduated schedule. We will not be doing 6 shots at one time! That is just too many for a little body to process at one time in my opinion. Hopefully the pediatrician we plan on using will be supportive (I'm setting up an appointment with her soon!!) or else we will be needing to search for a new one.
So now to whether or not to get this new H1N1 shot. I've heard/read that it is manufactured by the same company who does the seasonal flu shot, so in theory it should be just as safe as that one. Pregnant woman have been getting it for years, so why am I so hesitant to get this new one. Well for one thing it does have Thimerosal in it (the preservative that many parents believe lead to their child's Autism--mercury based). I did read last night that there have been single-dose syringes manufactured for pregnant women and children that do not contain the Thimerosal. If this is the case, I might consider getting it--but that would depend on whether or not my OB ordered the single-dose shots or the larger vials that yield several shots. Also, there is not a lot of data, or how about NO data since it is so new, to show that there are not adverse affects from the shot on the unborn child. However, I know that they want pregnant women to get it so that possibly the child could be protected once it is born since they can't get the shot themselves.
I just don't want to do anything that might possibly harm this precious little baby growing inside me.....so does that mean get the shot or not get the shot? I'm not sure yet.......
We talked about various aspects of the H1N1 at the pediatrician's last week, as well. He seemed to indicate that there weren't shots available yet but the nasal form for adults. Does that make a difference if that is all that is available now? Definitely things to consider, especially since you are in an environment where you may have more of a likelihood of contracting it. So I have the answer...stay home the rest of your pregnancy! Problem solved. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I never even thought about adverse affects as the kids got their 3 shots last week. Most doctors will be flexible to what you want. Or you could go to the health department for your shots.
I think it would make me a little nervous, too, since there isn't much data yet. We've gone through too much to take big risks, eh?