Looks like pregnant women may be among the first to have the H1N1 vaccine available..

[C.Ann]

I saw this on the news earlier, so I searched it out on the internet.. For those who are currently expecting, have your OB/GYN doctors made this reccomendation to you?



http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=8194314

Pregnant Women Especially Vulnerable to Swine Flu
Health Officials to Prioritize Who Gets First Dibs on Fall Vaccine
By LISA STARK and KATE BARRETT
July 28, 2009—


Pregnant women may be reluctant to receive vaccines, especially brand-new ones, while they're expecting, but today, mom-to-be Sivan Berman-Marciano said she'll opt for a swine flu vaccination if her doctor recommends it.

"If it's going to help not to have the swine flu and keep my baby safe, I will take it," Berman-Marciano said.

"I'm much more worried now than I was before getting pregnant because now, it's not only me, it's the baby also," she added.

Today, many doctors say that's the right move and argue that pregnant women should be given first dibs if a swine flu vaccine becomes available as expected this fall.

Watch "World News With Charles Gibson" tonight at 6:30 ET for the full report.

The conversation comes as a federal vaccine advisory panel meets tomorrow to further discuss who should receive top priority for the swine flu vaccine. It also coincides with increasing concerns that pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the pandemic.

Any flu virus can be dangerous for a pregnant woman, but swine flu appears to be especially threatening.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 out of 266 swine flu deaths in the U.S. so far have been among pregnant women. That's 6 percent of total fatalities.

The flu can be particularly deadly in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, both for mother and baby.

Today, Dr. Jacques Moritz, director of gynecology at New York's St.Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, said that's because a pregnant woman's weakened immune system makes her especially susceptible to the virus.

"What the body does, and what the baby does, really, is it sends out a message, 'Don't get rid of me,'" Moritz said. "So it brings down the immune system, so you don't reject the fetus."

He added, "Anybody that is going to be pregnant, in the second or third trimester during this upcoming flu season, should get vaccinated before, obviously, the flu season."




Pregnant Women Have Already Battled Swine Flu
The first American to die of swine flu was a 33-year-old pregnant woman in Texas. Her child, delivered by caesarian, survived.

Near Seattle, 27-year-old Katie Flyte is fighting for her life after complications from swine flu. Flyte was six months pregnant and caring for her sick 2-year-old when she developed flulike symptoms that were misdiagnosed. She developed pneumonia, then respiratory failure, as doctors rushed to save her premature daughter.

"I've got to give my baby girl a name without a mom to help me make the decision," Katie's husband, Kenny Flyte, told KOMO News last week.

Meantime, in Australia, doctors are urging pregnant women to stay home during this swine flu season to avoid contact with anyone suffering from the illness. In Great Britain, this fall, advice to pregnant women is to avoid large social gatherings.

Today Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said it's "understandable" that pregnant women are hesitant to get vaccinated.

"That's a natural reflex, but you have to understand the balance of the risk of a vaccination," Fauci added.

Given his heartbreaking experience, Kenny Flyte advises women who are expecting to act quickly if they feel sick.

"Go see your doctor," Flyte said. "Don't even play around."


Clinical Trials for Vaccine to Start in August
Fauci said today that health officials "appear to be having no trouble getting people signing up as volunteers" for clinical trials expected to begin in August to test the vaccine.

The clinical trials for a vaccination are expected to be followed by a voluntary vaccine program, anticipated to begin mid-October.

That vaccine program would be limited at first to those most susceptible to the virus. Those first in line to receive the series of two shots would likely be children, teenagers, health workers and pregnant women. The vaccine would be purchased by the federal government and distributed to state and local health departments.

Youth have also been hard hit in the swine flu outbreak, making school district preparation key to prevention.

Earlier this month, federal, state and local health officials gathered at a swine flu summit to size up what needs to happen to prepare for and prevent a second round of swine flu illnesses at the beginning of the upcoming school year like the ones that hit the world this spring.

At that time, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called on all states to update their emergency plans, including ways to carry out a mass vaccination program.

"We want to start re-engaging the American public and our state and local and health and private business partners in making sure we use these summer months well to prepare for what could be a serious outbreak," Sebelius said. "If it doesn't happen, we'll be fortunate and this planning won't go to waste."

ABC News' Olivia Hallihan contributed to this report.


Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

This is surprising to me as it seems the priority system keeps shifting..

 

[disney1990]

I saw this tonight also. It was definitely sad. In one country, Brazil, I think, 20% of the people that have died from H1N1 have been pregnant women. In the United States, only 1% of the population is pregnant and 6% of the deads have been pregnant women.

 

[C.Ann]

I saw this tonight also. It was definitely sad. In one country, Brazil, I think, 20% of the people that have died from H1N1 have been pregnant women. In the United States, only 1% of the population is pregnant and 6% of the deads have been pregnant women.

Pretty shocking numbers - aren't they? It looks like there are going to be an awful lot of people having to make difficult decisions come fall.. Pregnant women; parents; adults with health issues; certain age groups; etc.. I think I'm just going to start praying really, really hard that this whole thing fizzles out..

 

[Pennykay]

Yes, pregnant woman have been having a higher mortality rate with H1N1. I would be scared to have such a new vaccine, though, especially while pregnant!

 

[C.Ann]

Yes, pregnant woman have been having a higher mortality rate with H1N1. I would be scared to have such a new vaccine, though, especially while pregnant!

That's what makes the whole darn thing so frustrating.. Regardless of what group you're in - how do you make that decision? It's like the old "caught between a rock and a hard place" scenario..

 

[disney1990]

Did you see that in England they stopped just short of telling women NOT to get pregnant so that they didn't have that decision to make?

 

[C.Ann]

Did you see that in England they stopped just short of telling women NOT to get pregnant so that they didn't have that decision to make?

Yes - I did.. Might not be bad advice though - just to be safe..

 

[justhat]

I am pregnant and saw my dr last week and she didn't mention anything about this disease or vaccine. I was advised to get a DTaP vaccine before conceiving this child, which I did, and they asked about that (as my husband gave me the shot, so the OB didn't know I had it), but nothing about swine flu. I'll ask at my Sept appt, but odds are I'll skip it and take my chances as I have no idea what the side effects of this vaccine could be down the line.

 

[Imzadi]

Only 6% of the dead were pregnant women, that is such a low, low precentile. Your odds of winning something in Las Vegas are incredibly higher. I'm in a high risk city and I'd still wonder about taking something they truly have no idea what the long term effects to the baby will be. Very scary decision either way.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I will not be among the first to get this vaccine. My doctor has not brought it up, and he would have to really, really convince me to take a chance on it.

 

[C.Ann]

I am pregnant and saw my dr last week and she didn't mention anything about this disease or vaccine. I was advised to get a DTaP vaccine before conceiving this child, which I did, and they asked about that (as my husband gave me the shot, so the OB didn't know I had it), but nothing about swine flu. I'll ask at my Sept appt, but odds are I'll skip it and take my chances as I have no idea what the side effects of this vaccine could be down the line.

Only 6% of the dead were pregnant women, that is such a low, low precentile. Your odds of winning something in Las Vegas are incredibly higher. I'm in a high risk city and I'd still wonder about taking something they truly have no idea what the long term effects to the baby will be. Very scary decision either way.

I agree with both of you.. Deciding which situation would pose the least risk is a very scary position to be placed in.. There are so many things avoided during pregnancy now - that weren't even mentioned way back when I had my kids - adding this decision to the list has got to be extremely stressful..

Ironically, I had heard nothing about these pregnancy concerns until today.. As I said earlier, the priorities seem to be shifting from day to day - based on the latest information available.. Maybe by fall the priorities will change again..

Of course the "best" thing that could happen is that for some reason it just weakens and fizzles out.. It would save a lot of people from having to make uncomfortable decisions..

 

[justhat]

FWIW, I asked my husband, who is a physician, and though he was in a sleep daze at the moment, he did say if it were recommended by my OB he'd have no issue with it. I, otoh, would, and would still likely not get it, but he seems to think it would be okay.

 

[C.Ann]

FWIW, I asked my husband, who is a physician, and though he was in a sleep daze at the moment, he did say if it were recommended by my OB he'd have no issue with it. I, otoh, would, and would still likely not get it, but he seems to think it would be okay.

Really? Your doctor DH thinks it would be safe? Do you have other children as well? If so, would he be okay with them receiving it?

I hope you don't end up having to make that decision.. Actually, I hope none of us have to make that decision!

 

[Mskanga]

Why would this shot be any different from any other flu shots ? Every year the flu shots are changed and barely tested on anyone.....and yet people ( including myself ) continue to take them.

 

[C.Ann]

I will not be among the first to get this vaccine. My doctor has not brought it up, and he would have to really, really convince me to take a chance on it.

I hope you don't even end up in a situation where you "have" to make that choice..

Why would this shot be any different from any other flu shots ? Every year the flu shots are changed and barely tested on anyone.....and yet people ( including myself ) continue to take them.

I think part of it is because the information is changing so rapidly, they (the people in charge of creating this particular vaccine) really don't come across as being very confident in what exactly they are trying to create, the possibility of the adjuvant (which is very scary), and in pregnant women, the concern of side effects for the unborn fetus..

It just seems like there's not an awful lot of confidence concerning "this" particular flu vaccine..

 

[honugirl]

I'm not sure what I'll do, but I know I'm going to be put between that rock and a hard place. By the time this gets rolling here in the fall I will no longer have any capacity to make stress hormones. Any type of fever warrants a trip to the ER. If it's a live vaccine, I may stay away from it, but if it's anything else I may have to get it. It might be the lesser of 2 evils, I don't know. Without it, I'm almost positive I'd be in the segment of the population with complications and possibly death. While I wish we wouldn't find out, my guess is that it's coming down the pike at us pretty fast and I don't think there's going to be time to duck...

 

[justhat]

Really? Your doctor DH thinks it would be safe? Do you have other children as well? If so, would he be okay with them receiving it?

I hope you don't end up having to make that decision.. Actually, I hope none of us have to make that decision!

Yes, he thinks it would be fine. He's on board with all vaccines and has no hesitations. Or very little at any rate. I think that's the case for most physicians though, at least at of my husband's friends feel that way as well. He's not an OB though, nor an infectious disease dr, so this isn't his field and clearly he has no expertise in the vaccine area(he's an anesthesiologist).

We have 2 other kids, 5yo and almost 3yo, and he would absolutely okay them getting the vaccine as well. Actually, I would feel pretty confident about them getting it too.

My only concern while being pregnant is that you never know what will have an effect on a developing fetus. Of course, by the 2nd trimester everything is formed so it's not like you have to worry about it causing problems like thalidomide did, but still, the fear is there that it could do something, in my mind anyway. I do, and will this year, get a regular flu shot though, and my husband and kids do as well, so I probably shouldn't fear the new vaccine so much, but for whatever reason I still do.

 

[Beca]

My ob has not mentioned this. Of course, they say the vaccine will not be readily available until Oct., and I am due Oct. 5th. I do not know what I would do if he suggested it. I mean, on one hand, I remember reading about the swine flu vaccine that ended up being such a disaster when it was administered many years ago, and I would not want to risk my baby's health. OTOH, I am borderline for gestational diabetes, which puts me at a greater risk of susceptibility for the flu.

The other thing to consider is that they say a baby cannot be vaccinated until it is 6 months old, so this may be the only way to get some protection to your newborn in what could be a VERY bad season.

I think if the dr. wanted me to take the shot a few days before the baby was born, I would probably go ahead and take it. Of course, I may miss the availability all together....which is also scary for my baby.

 

[EMom]

So 6% of the US fatalities have been pregnant women.....

I'd be willing to bet a much higher percentage consisted of those with respiratory issues such as asthma. Throw in people with immunity issues of whatever variety and you probably have the bulk of the fatalities.