Dd You Get the Flu Shot When Pregant?

Pregnant or not, I never get the flu shot. I would especially not get one, when pregnant. My own OB does not push the flu shot on pregnant woman, she believes the risks outweigh the benefits.

8 moms found this helpful

I was pregnant during the height of the H1N1 scare. Sadly, I listened to my primary care doc and got both the H1N1 and regular flu shot while I was pregnant. If I could take that back, I would in a heartbeat.
I ended up getting very sick with Swine Flu anyway, and got pneumonia and almost had to be hospitalized in my 5th month of pregnancy. I had to take antibiotics (not good for the fetus) and ended up with mild asthma that lasted for two years from the pneumonia.
My sweet baby daughter DOES clearly have issues, if I am using my two older boys as a baseline. She has major sensory issues (won't eat most foods, hates to be held unless she initiates it), and is extremely hyperactive. I am seriously praying these will lessen over time, and I am so depressed because I am afraid that the flu shots and/or the antibiotics I had to take did damage to her brain.
I did NOT have flu shots with my older two boys when I was pregnant with them and never had the flu when I was pregnant either.

I really believe now that flu shots cause so much inflammation in my body, that I am so much better off without them. For the past two years, no one in our family has had flu shots, and we have been 10X's healthier these past two years when we have NOT had flu shots. The years we got flu shots we kept getting respiratory infection after respiratory infection, and my kids would end up with bronchitis and on antibiotics at least once or twice during flu season. The past two years without flu shots, NO ONE has needed antibiotics. I truly believe the flu shots do more harm than good for our family. I wish I had known this BEFORE I was pregnant with my 3rd child. It makes me really sad to think I might have hurt my little girl by getting the flu shots :(

And not to go off on a tangent, but the story gets even worse. I have been through so much with doctors prescribing medications to our family or botching what were supposed to be simple medical procedures. I am at the point where I have a complete distrust now of most doctors who practice what we refer to as Western Medicine. They are completely influenced by the prescription drug companies whose bottom line is to make money, lots and lots of it. This is a complete 180 for me, because before I had my first kid, I was actually in the process of applying to med school and I have a masters in public health. You can imagine I have not just ended up at this place of distrust without some very serious research and thought. I have now gone from someone who would have criticized other parents for NOT vaccinating their kids, to someone who APPLAUDS parents who don't just blindly vaccinate their kids. Like I said, I wish I had known what I now know much earlier.

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I was pregnant during the whole H1N1 scare.
And I was seeing an OB (I usually see a midwife)...she completely bullied me into getting the regular flu shot. She wanted me to get both-I compromised by getting the regular one.
A decision I regret.
But my DS is healthy and happy. Thank God.
I am pregnant again. And seeing a midwife (who has not even mentioned it).
No flu shot. Ever again.

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I'm not sure when they changed the formula or when they changed the guidelines, but when I was pregnant 18 years ago they would not give it to me.

I won't get into the pros/cons and the politics, but as an RN that was the one and only time I even attempted to get a flu shot. When they wouldn't give it to me because I was pregnant, I kinda thought that was a sign. I've never had a flu shot and neither has anyone in my family.

2 moms found this helpful

It was never suggested that I do it and I wouldn't have done it anyway because I don't get shots for things. I came down with the flu during my first pregnancy because a little girl I was babysitting had it. It was pretty mild for me though and caused no issues with my pregnancy or my baby. I also had the flu a couple of years back and it was really extreme, but I persevered so I haven't seen a need for me to get that shot.

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I was pregnant during the swine flu epidemic and I didn't get the H1N1 shot or that tamaflu or whatever it was called. My doctor even told me horror stories of how I could in up in the hospital on life support if I didn't do it. But no shot, no meds and not even so much as a stuffy nose. I just took natural precautions instead.

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I never got it while pregnant, (but was def pressured to get one!) I have had the flu shot twice in my life and both times I got the worst flu ever. I work in a hospital where they want everyone to get it. IMHO I 'd rather wear a mask during flu season than get that sick again!

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I did with my first (both the H1N1 and the regular) and did with my current. No issues with me or my daughter. But I am a teacher and get the flu shot religiously every year.

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Nope never have (pregnant or not) and I never got the flu.

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Yes, I did. My OB and my regular doctor strongly encouraged me to do so. I trust them because they went to med school and I didn't.

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I never did. My doctor asked if I wanted it and I asked is it necessary. He said since I am a stay at home mom there is more risk from the shot that from the flu.

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I never have , even during the H1N1 " crisis". My doc never mentioned getting it. I figured if it was that important , he would've stressed it's importance. Maybe it was an irresponsible move , on my part . Working in medicine, I do know the risks to pregnant patients and the flu. On the other hand, I don't like to introduce anything new, especially when pregnant.

I did once out of my three pregnancies. Ended up with mild flu anyway. I really hope it was cause I GOT the shot that it was mild. Never had issues with any of my children from it.

I did get it when I was about 6 months pregnant and everyone is fine.

I did get the flu shot with my recent pregnancy. No flu that year, and no side effects for my daughter. I am a school teacher and have asthma that gets extreme when sick, so I'm way more prone than most.

Yes, I got it both times and was told it was "preservative free." I don't know if that includes thimerisol or not, but both of my boys (ages 3 and 5) are perfectly fine and developing at or above their age level. My doctor highly recommended it, and after almost dying from the flu in the 90s, I didn't want to skip it. I've been getting flu shots for years.

Yes, I got the flu shot with all 3 of my pregnancies. I got the preservative free one. I work in a pediatric office so I come in face-to-face contact with the flu every year, so I feel it is necessary to get it. All 3 of my kids are brilliant & healthy!

I got the flu shot pregnant, but I do not know if it had the thimerisol you are asking about. Everything is fine.

Yep got it. Baby is fine.

I got the flu shot when I was pregnant, my old job offered them for free and my doctor said to go ahead and get it. My pregnant co-worker was told by her doctor not to get it, which I thought was weird. I didn't have anything weird happen and my daughter is 5 and fine.

i was up in the air about getting it, I haven't got one in years and the only reason i did before was because i worked in a hospital. After talking to my dr about it and weighing the PROS/CONS about it, i decided to get it. the deciding factor was my son being in school, and the dr said he could bring it home, and also i lost a close friend from flu complications while she was pregnant. will i get it next year? No.

I did get the flu shot. It didn't contain thimerisol. Didn't have any problems.

I was pregnant at the height of H1N1 and did not get the flu shot, and I did not get it with this pregnancy either. In fact, now that I think about it, I've never gotten the flu shot. Only have had the flu once, a little over 3 yrs ago, and I felt horrible, but it wasn't something I'd go get vaccinated for.

Only thing I did different this year, and am iffy on whether I'd do it again, was that I had both of my boys vaccinated (4 & 2yrs) for the first time. They are in preschool and nursery settings this time around & I am also out and about more since my previous two pregnancy and figured if I was going to catch it, it most likely would be because they brought it home. I also did it as a precautionary measure for the new little guy that will be here at the end of April. Flu season will hopefully be wrapping up, but just to be on the safer side--I guess--at least that's what I'm hoping for.

Thankfully, they had no reactions to the vaccine and they didn't get the flu right after either.

I got a flu shot while I was pregnant, a little over 6 years ago. I don't know about the thimerisol part. I was fine after the shot. And my daughter is perfectly fine too (except for inheriting a LOT of her dad's personality! hahaha). She will be 6 years old next month :)

I don't normally get the flu shot either. I've never had the flu or anything more than a simple cold in a looooong time.