Flu Shots in the First Trimester

Does anyone have any info on this? I know docs are reccomending them, but 'a friend of a friend' (really) of mine got one, miscarried the next day and is now totally blaming herself for the miscarriage even though her OB reccomended the flu shot. Initially I downplayed the likelihood that the shot had anything to do with it (with all of my medical knowledge), and now my friend comes back to me with more research this woman has done kind of proving her point. Yeah - I know you can find something on the internet to support any POV, but I wondered if anyone had anything to add here.

Basically what she found is:

Pregnant women are told over and over again not to eat
mercury- or to have very small doses.

Well, the flu shot has way above the recommended
doses- plus, they are recommending it to women in
their first trimester!! Because they don't
"investigate" women unless they have three
miscarriages, the drug companies are still not doing
anything about it.

So they can tell us over and over not to eat swordfish
and tuna, but they directly inject 3 times the limit
directly into our bloodstream in one sitting.

What do you think??

[SueC]

I'm pretty sure I've had a flu shot in my first trimester. My condolences to your friend, especially since she seems pretty bent on blaming herself. Maybe her OB can reassure her that if she miscarried it was probably for a reason outside of the flu shot?
I never thought about the mercury thing, that is interesting. I have heard of other scares with mercury in flu shots (I myself am not worked up about it) and I think there are mercury-free shots that are obtainable.

I had a flu shot while pg, but was in my 2nd or 3rd trimester. For me, with a history of asthma, the benefits outweighed risks. As far as 1st trimester, I don't know.
My heart goes out to your friend's friend. I think it is human nature to try to explain an event like that.

I think it is human nature to try to explain an event like that.

Yeah - that's what I said when she first brought it up. Don't let her blame herself, so many people miscarry, etc. But I guess she was 11 weeks with a confirmed heartbeat and such, and the timing of this has just thrown her into a loop. Her husband is in Iraq right now (her MIL even suggested not telling the husband about the miscarriage b/c he has too much stress as it is). I didn't realize that the flu shot had mercury in it - or do all vaccinations have mercury?

I didn't realize that the flu shot had mercury in it - or do all vaccinations have mercury?

Some do and some don't -- or didn't. I'm pretty sure that the flu immz is one of the only ones that still contains thimersol. Two years ago, there was a thimersol-free flu vaccine on the market but most physician offices don't carry it. I don't know if it is available this year. If I remember correctly, it is more expensive and might be more difficult to store or have a shorter shelf-life.

There has been some speculation that autism is caused in part by mercury in vaccines. The MMR especially.

[DCJenn]

The big thing with the thimersol/mercury thing is that people want to use vaccines as a reason why their kids "get" autism.

(although the various studies that I have read conclude there is no relationship between the Dx of autism and having had a shot.)

The fact is, the shot might have caused a reaction individual to your friend, or it could have been a coincidence of timing. She will honestly never know and hopefully, will stop blaming herself. The consequences of the flu can be horrific, too (like death) so she can also remind herself of that.

The autism thing is also a matter of timing- think about the ages and stages when kids acquire language, when kids get shots and when kids are all diagnosed with PDD or autism. Coincidence? I personally think so, although there are a whole lot of people who would disagree. I have worked with too, too many people with autism to accept that its 'caused' by anything other than a brain that doesn't interpret things the same way- from birth. (along the same lines, I don't think it's possible to 'turn' gay, either)

So, there's my controversial move to the debate section answer...

Jenn

The autism thing is also a matter of timing- think about the ages and stages when kids acquire language, when kids get shots and when kids are all diagnosed with PDD or autism.

I think that is why the MMR is (was) singled out.

[SueC]

I don't buy the autism link either, miscarriage sounds more plausible IMO. But even then, how could you know for sure what caused it? I think with autism, it's just a sad, disease and while I can't blame the parents for wanting to point the finger at somebody, it would be dangerous if we all just quit vaccinating our kids out of fear.

I was told by the nurses doing the shots (when I was trying to get pregnant) that since I might be pregnant and in my first trimester, they wouldn't give me one.

I did get one in my second trimester with Henry.

[Rapunzel]

I don't know what to think about mercury and autism.

On the one hand I completely agree with jloreine. I think it may very well be a matter of coincidence.

On the other hand I read an article on the reasoning behind linking the two (that had to do with intestinal tears and nerve damage and such) by a scientist a while back. It was very interesting and I have no idea where to find it on the net.

And, then there is the conflict in my mind of: Do I trust the FDA and drug companies or don't I? (Just look at the entire aspartame thing coming up - not to mention phen-fen). But, I also strongly believe in immunizations. They relieve immense suffering in the world and I'll be the first to jump in line and get one!

Eleanor is due for her first flu shot now. sigh

Jennifer, one thing going for you -- your older kids are homeschooled and possibly less likely to bring it home. Of course, weigh that against your DH being in a hospital setting and any trips to kid-centric places....

You could also search around for a ped that has the thimerosol-free iz. I think it is manufactured by the company that does Fluvirin (or is that the company?).

Well, the same friend who brought up the subject with me has now come "out of the closet" as a believer in the vaccination / autism link. She sent me a link to the National Vaccine Information Center website: http://www.909shot.com for me to check it out.

She says she read several books on the topic while she was pregnant and decided to wait until her daughter was 1 before getting any immunizations so that she could identify any reactions / behavior changes more easily. She said she'd specifically never discussed it with me or her sister (a nurse). I've never done any research on the topic, so I didn't feel like I could really "get into it" with her - other than what me dear, TRUSTED pediatrician told me about it.