Pregnancy and H1N1 Vaccine: Don’t Mess Around!

Pregnant women continue to be more seriously affected by 2009 H1N1 influenza than the general population. In the first 4 months of the H1N1 pandemic, at least 28 pregnant women have died and 100 have been admitted to the ICU.

If you are not pregnant, there are a number of options and arguments for and  against vaccination in a continued debate.  Most of the true experts are on the side of vaccination, but I am just noting that there is more room for a pro-con discussion.  If you are pregnant, don’t mess around.  This current pandemic is serious and puts you AND your baby at risk. You either have to be completely isolated from anyone or seriously consider the vaccination.  Talk with your doc. Here is the latest as of mid November 2009.

CDC has updated its H1N1 treatment guidance in intrapartum and postpartum hospital settings at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/obstetric.htm.

Ob-gyns can still become H1N1 vaccinators in many states. As a pregnant patient may not have access to the H1N1 vaccine other than by their obstetrician, some states are still enrolling ob providers.   See your state’s plan and contact information at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/statecontacts.htm.  You can also check with your local or state health department. Here is a decision tree with some suggestions for doctors for other plans of action at http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/vaccination/decisiontree.htm.

If you are pregnant and are being vaccinated for H1N1 and/or seasonal influenza you are invited to participate in a nationwide study on vaccine safety by CDC and Johns Hopkins University, at http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/myflushot-P-info.htm. Pregnant women are of specific interest and one of the study’s objectives is to enroll as many women as possible. If you are interested, please send an email to flustudy@jhsph.edu with the subject “ACOG H1N1″ .

The safety profile of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is anticipated to be no different than that of previous seasonal influenza vaccines for pregnant women. CDC is closely monitoring safety of influenza vaccination in pregnant women through numerous systems. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national voluntary reporting system, collecting information about possible side effects and adverse events that occur after the administration of vaccines licensed in the United States. If you suspect that a vaccine-related adverse event has occurred, you are encouraged to report to VAERS via your doctor.  Detailed information about VAERS, including examples of adverse events and mechanisms for your doctors to report them can be found at http://vaers.hhs.gov/professionals/index.

ACOG’s H1N1 webpage has numerous resources for both ob-gyns and pregnant women on H1N1 and seasonal influenza. Visit the webpage regularly for new resources and updated guidelines at http://www.acog.org/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=20&bulletin=4866.

See CDC’s H1N1webpage of Resources for Obstetric Health Care Providers at http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/clinician_pregnant.htm.

See CDC’s H1N1 webpage of Resources for Pregnant Women at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/pregnancy.