Hi Ladies,

I received a letter from my GP surgery on Saturday inviting me to contact the surgery to make an appointment for the vaccination.

Over the last few months, I have researched the vaccine as much as possible (pretty difficult with the lack of information) and had already decided I would decline the offer.

However once my hubby read the letter and leaflet he thought that I should get it (as you can imagine it was scare tactics, as usual).

I like to think that I make informed decisions and without aduvant being tested on pregnant women how can any informed decision be made?

Anyway I thought I would speak to the midwife firstly before I made any rash decision, so today when I was there for my routine appointment I asked them (there were 2 on today) and I was surprised at the response.

When asked they both said that they had been given no training, notes or advice regarding the jab and had just been informed that they must recommend the vaccination. They said that they had been told that they had to forward patients with concerns onto the nurse or their gp to discuss further.

However I asked that question I always ask and was very pleased with the honest frank answers they gave......"so if it was you, what would you do?" They both were very quick to reply in saying that the government had said come September it was going to steam roll and the majority of us would be infected etc etc and that they would no way have the vaccination whilst pregnant as they didn't trust that it is completely safe due to the lack of testing. I have 4 and half weeks left and with that answer I was very confident in informing the receptionist that I wished to decline their offer of the vaccination.

I haven't been offered it, but I could see myself in your shoes.
Our midwives had much the same response.

I was offered yesterday.

I have declined but if I can change my mind. I'm gonna speak to the MW about it tomorrow and I was planning on asking her "would you have it if you were pregnant?"

Thanks for your info!

me and my DH and son all had the shot 3 weeks ago well my son had the H1N1 flu last week and now my DH has it so the only one the shot prevented from getting it was me and they both are doing fine its not THAT bad we really didnt even think it was the flu with my son because he had the mildest case ever but I think the shot might have had something to do with that...my DH has had it since friday and is now feeling much better Im thinking everyone is panicking over it for no reason really...only reason we chose to get the shots was to prevent LO from getting it...

I was also told to ask the doctor for information, but its pretty obvious that they have been told what to say. I had the easier desision to not get it as i know people who have had it be ill for a couple of days afterwards and for me that could mean being ill in labour. I would love to have it after babs is born though.

My doctor told me that I will be offered it next week but it takes three weeks to take full effect and I am due 4 weeks today. He gave me the offical line of 'we recommend that you have it' and then basically told me that in his opinion it might not be worth it so I think I will decline too. KNowing my luck I will get it at the last minute. One of my students was coughing and sneezing everywhere when I was talking to him about coursework today so I might already have it for all I know!

I asked the registrar who I was seeing in place on my consultant if she would have it if she were pregnant and she said she isn't having it anyway based on her being frontline staff and if she were pregnant she would not be having it either. She also said that her brother worked in labs where vaccines are created and he had categorically told her not to have it as there just hadn't been enough research into it. PLus she said there is no way any relevant research could have been done on vaccine - pregnancy being a 9 months process and they only started testing this in April.

But I still am unsure whether to have it!! I have just under 3 weeks to go to my c-section and I think if I get offered it before then, like 7 to 10 days before, I would get it, but it doesn't even look like it's in my area yet anyway..

I declined as well due to the vaccine only coming out a mere 5 months ago tops. My doctor said she wouldn't recommend that I get it now and wait until after my baby is born. My due date is in 4 days, I've been sick but luckily it's only sinuses. I don't feel comfortable enough putting a vaccine in my body that has just come out, who honestly knows what it could do to your baby years from now. I don't think the vaccine is any type of conspiracy, just my instincts are telling me to stay away, also to stay away from any public places until my baby is born.

If you do plan on getting it, make sure you get the one with NO mercury in it. They have two versions out, one for pregnant and children and the other is for all other age groups. Good luck.

I got the swine flu jab last friday.

I decided by thinking -'I am being advised to take this jab and if I refuse it and something happened to baby, I could never forgive myself!!

On the other hand, if having taken the jab, something happens 'I did what I thought was best for baby'

I am a high-school teacher and work with 150+ kids a day - if I wasnt a teacher maybe I wouldnt be so for getting it?

Its a very personal decision.

Thank you for posting about your experience. I haven't been offered it yet but from the research I've done I've already made the decision not to have the vaccine. xx