Swine Flu, Vaccinations and Pregnancy

TigerGalLE, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2009

They want nurses to get the H1N1 vaccine as well... Not sure what to do myself.

leslie :-D · Jul 30, 2009

chery, i haven't seen any articles that recommend the h1n1 vaccination to infants under 6 months old.

i did find links w/the recommendations for pregnant women et al.

is that what you're looking for?

leslie

Cherybaby · Jul 30, 2009

Yes. I looked up some...but there is nothing showing possible adverse outcomes. I am thinking that they could not have had trial studies on pregnant women and the potential for damage to the fetus/child somewhere down the road. If you have links...I would appreciate them. I am finding VERY little in the way of information. I've googled and binged...but there isn't much out there.

This vaccine is so new...how could they possibly know the after effects of the unborn years down the road? That's what has me concerned. Plus, I am kind of looking to educate myself on the subject, seeing as they are talking about it becoming of pandemic proportions.

allnurses Guide · Jul 30, 2009

Clinical trials are in progress now. People have volunteered in Australia. Pland are to start trials in the USA in early August.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1913615,00.html

Licensed vaccines, including influenza vaccines, are held to a very high standard of safety. Likewise, all possible precautions will be taken to ensure safety of new pandemic vaccines and results from clinical trials, currently ongoing or soon to be initiated, will be taken into consideration by the regulatory authorities in their decision to license pandemic vaccines. In early June, WHO held a consultation of experts which reviewed the safety of adjuvants, or substances added to vaccines to make them more effective; no significant safety concerns were identified. Vaccine safety will be carefully monitored through post-marketing surveillance..
...the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine will be manufactured according to established standards and post marketing surveillance will be conducted to monitor potential development of any serious adverse events following administration of vaccine. Safety monitoring systems are an integral part of strategies for the implementation of the new pandemic influenza vaccines....

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/vaccine_preparedness/safety_approval/en/index.html

leslie :-D · Jul 30, 2009

these links have nothing to do w/adverse outcomes.

as you said chery, i believe it's too early, but will read herring's link after i post these.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090729/pregnant-women-first-get-swine-flu-vaccine

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/pregnant-hcw-educators.htm

http://online.wsj.com/public/page/swine-flu-health.html

leslie

oramar · Jul 30, 2009

I don't think there is much data to find on the safety of the H1N1 vaccine in pregnancy because there isn't much either pro or con. What we do know is that the 1918 outbreak was particularly hard on pregnant women. We are far enough into this current pandemic to know that it is happening again. 6% of the people who died during the current outbreak were pregnant women while only 1% of the population is pregnant at any given time. Today on the evening news it said that the CDC is concerned enough to put pregnant women number one on the list of people to get the vaccine first.

oramar · Jul 30, 2009

seeing as they are talking about it becoming of pandemic proportions.

It is not becoming a pandemic, it IS a pandemic.

indigo girl · Jul 30, 2009

Chery, unfortunately there won't be much data, if any because this is a brand new vaccine just entering trials. I wish that we could tell you something more comforting, but we cannot.

Given the risk for pregnant women, I hope that most will opt for the vaccine anyway. It seems the lesser of the two risks.

And, if exposed to the virus, I hope that all will be given Tamiflu if they can tolerate it, or Relenza if they are having n/v.

Short of total isolation from the rest of the population, there is not much else that can be done. With that said, not everyone that gets the virus will have a severe outcome. The problem is that we do not know who will.

I wish for your daughter, a happy and uneventful delivery.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Jul 30, 2009

What I have heard (and I have no articles to prove this) is that being pregnant is one of the biggest risks to DIE from swine flu, whereas most people just feel pretty pathetic for a week or two. Certainly do your research but, wow. . .

I've determined that by the standards set out by the agency for immunizations from the WHO that everyone in our household needs a swine flu vaccine when they become available (2 healthcare workers working with infants under age 6 months & 2 people aged 18-24). It's probably going to be a hard sell with the two young adults, but one of them is attending a very large university and I really worry about that.

SlightlyMental_RN · Jul 30, 2009

Sorry! We're not allowed to give medical advice here on the boards. That being said, I would monitor the CDC's website:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/clinician_pregnant.htm

This will give you up-to-date advice that clinicians will be following in regards to the best available guidelines for pregnant women.