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• April 4, 2013 6:07 p.m.

  I'm looking for information/research on whether getting two doses of flu vaccine while pregnant gives any advantage to the baby vs just getting one dose of vaccine. Since babies have to get 2 doses of flu vaccine at 6 months, I was wondering if getting 2 doses while in utero is better than just getting one. Has any research been done regarding this?

  - Ree

• April 3, 2013 9:36 a.m.

  According to the FDA: fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/ucm096228.htm The multi-dose flu shots and the single dose Fluvirin do still contain Thimerosal. Whether or not they still use the multi-dose, it would be best to ask your doctor.

  - No name given

• March 27, 2013 8:42 p.m.

  Just wanted to clarify for people who are concerned about mercury based preservatives in vaccines. Despite multi-decade private and federal double blind trials that definitively proved their safety, and because of the drop in vaccination rates after the autism vaccine hysteria, the last vaccine in the U.S. with a mercury based preservative ethylmercury in it was given in 2007. There is no reason (besides an allergy) to not vaccinate yourself or your child against horrific diseases that can hospitalize, maim or kill you!! I study Microbiology and pathology, and let me tell you, there is nothing worse than watching an infant die from pertussis (whooping cough), a disease that was nearly unheard of before the vaccine phobia era. Vaccines are here to help you and, with exceedingly rare exception, the diseases they help prevent are far worse than any side effects.

  - Emily

• February 10, 2013 11:29 p.m.

  Thank you Mary. I've always held the Mayo Clinic in the highest of regards. I appreciate your response & will continue to do my best to stay healthy & keep my family healthy as well.

  - UW

• January 28, 2013 12:39 a.m.

  UW, I think your concerns are understandable. We want to do the right thing for our children and for ourselves. It's hard when there are conflicts in the information you receive. Many times we have to look at the benefits versus the risks and make our decisions based on that. Staying healthy, washing our hands and avoiding sick people is a good plan, even when not pregnant.

  - Mary@Mayo

• January 17, 2013 5:11 p.m.

  I must admit, I'm a little confused about the flu vaccine. Dayspring's post reiterates my concern about it. I don't understand how injecting any form of mercury into your system cannot have harmful effects on a developing fetus. The fact that CDC uses wording like "no convincing evidence of harm" and "ethylmercury (the type of mercury found in the influenza vaccine) is much less likely than methylmercury (the type of mercury in the environment) to accumulate in the body and cause harm.", that "no convincing evidence" & "less likely" really worries me as to how safe this vaccine actually is. Would it be more beneficial to take vitamins, wash your hands & avoid sick people? I had 2 beautiful, bright & healthy children doing it this way & no, I am not against vaccines, just concerned about the ones containing Thimerosal.

  - UW

• November 20, 2012 3:54 p.m.

  The flu shot is safe at any time in pregnancy. During the first trimester the baby is forming its' organs. After that the baby is growing its' organs. Sometimes we wait until after that formation time to give some medications or do procedures that have the possibility of causing a problem with the forming organs. When timing the flu shot remember that it takes about 2 weeks to get the immunity it provides.

  - Mary @ Mayo

• November 16, 2012 10:21 a.m.

  I called health services at my employer, and I was told that the best time to get a flu shot is in the second trimester, unless the risks outweigh the benefits (such as a history of respiratory disease in the mother). Why is the second trimester safer?

  - Macy

• September 19, 2012 12:25 a.m.

  If your original lab work was wrong and you *are* A nietagve, then you're just lucky that nothing went wrong with your first child. There will be no nietagve effect on your current pregnancy as they will give you the Rhogam shot at 28 weeks. That's pretty much standard procedure.I would ask to have your blood typed again, just to be sure either way. It is useful to know your blood type and having the correct Rh factor is pretty important. If your OB won't do it, you can always go to your general practitioner and see if their office will take care of it for you. I would be *extremely* concerned if your OB doesn't want to get the correct answer from your labs though. That seems like it would be on top of the list of things you want to be correct about.

  - Kailash

• May 2, 2012 1:06 p.m.

  I believe Mayo Clinic Mall of America will best beenift the community as a Healthy Living Center and Rehabilitation Center. (Similar to the Dan Abraham, but on a much grander scale) The facility will be divided into two sections. The first section will be capable for treating patients with state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment and the second section will serve as a “healthy lifestyle center.” This will be home to a state-of-the-art lifestyle hotel, which would include gyms, pools, and spas, and would serve national and international visitors with “world class.” The lobby of the facility will serve as an educational center and “museum” for Mayo Clinic facilities around the United States. This facility will set a worldly impression to international visitors and will add to what is already known as the best health care facility in the world.

  - Remy

• January 11, 2012 5:58 p.m.

  My mother is a board-certified NP with loads of other credentials including a masters in nutrition. She recommends to all her pregnant patients that they supplement with both vitamin D3 - not D2 (http://goo.gl/p7cj6) and 15/mg per day of zinc (http://bit.ly/znd17m). Dosage for D3 depends on patient's need. Both of these supplements can help to prevent the flu and a myriad of other nasty illnesses, helping ensure both a healthy mom and baby.

  - Peter

• October 7, 2011 10:53 a.m.

  Mary, why do all of the flu vaccine inserts say, "Should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed." I even asked my OB just yesterday, and she said that I must be looking at old inserts. However, I just verified that every one that I looked at were from 2011, and they all stated the above quote. I understand the concern to protect myself and my baby from the flu, but there is also valid concern when the flu manufacturers themselves state that the vaccine should be given "only if clearly needed."

  - Holly

• October 2, 2011 1:14 p.m.

  Hello Mary, i don't know of this or rather have not been much concern about this but i must tell my wife to get a flu shot now that is is pregnant.

  - John

• February 21, 2011 2:20 p.m.

  Influenza strikes everyone and is miserable and takes a long time to recover from. When you are pregnant it becomes life-threatening to mom and baby. The more we can work to prevent pregant women from getting the flu, the better it will be. Right now that means recommending the flu immunization.

  - Mary @ Mayo

• February 19, 2011 1:05 p.m.

  I have gotten a flu shot for the past 13 years and never had the flu. I got a flu shot during my first pregnancy, had no side effects and no effect on my daughter (she is now 2). I am pregnant again and got a flu shot before I became pregnant so I have not worried about getting another shot. However, I started feeling sick earlier this week, then Thursday evening all of the sudden I felt horrible. I had aches, cold chills, and my other sinus symptoms were suddenly worse. I went to the doctor yesterday and I have the flu. They prescribed Tamiflu and I am just waiting to see what happens. I go back to the doctor Monday morning...

  - Kathy

• February 14, 2011 10:48 p.m.

  I worked at a junior high during both my pregnancies. I got the flu the day before my due date with the first. 104 fever, plus body aches, and cough 9 months pregnant was miserable. I made sure I got the flu shot with my second and he is a bright, and very intelligent child with a wonderful imagination and great social skills! I will always get a flu shot now!

  - Laurie

• February 2, 2011 12:32 p.m.

  AT THE BEGINNING OF MY SECOND PREGNANCY I HAD FLU. I VISITED A DOCTOR WHO DIAGNOSED SINUSES AND GAVE ME ANTIBIOTICS. I STARTED BLEEDING AFTER THIS AND HAD A NEAR MIS-CARRIAGE. I VISITED ANOTHER DOCTOR WHO ASSISTED IN SUSTAINING THE PREGNANCY TO FULL TERM. IS SINUSITIS ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY?

  - PERES

• January 6, 2011 8:48 p.m.

  I disagree that pregnant women should get the flu shot. The only study the CDC has for the flu shot for pregnant women follow the fetus through the pregnancy, and then only for a few hours after birth. There have been no long-term safety studies on the fetal effects of the flu shot. Please note that all current flu shots contain mercury--usually 25mcg, although the reduced-mercury flu shot contains only 5mcg. However, predator fish, such as shark and tilefish, contain only 0.5-0.9mcg of mercury, and the CDC cautions pregnant women to avoid such fish completely, because of possible neurological damage from mercury in these fish. I believe you have an article about seafood guidlines on this website, in fact. I got the (25mcg mercury) flu shot while pregnant with my 2nd son, and he does have a significant speech delay, as well as some social deficits, a slight hand tremor, etc. My other two sons are typically developing, have no speech delays, and I did not get any vaccinations while pregnant with them. It may seem like a simple coincidence, however I also have friends that received the flu shot in pregnancy and later had speech delays with their children. In fact, I don't know anyone personally that received the flu shot prenatally, and then had a perfectly normal child with no delays. All this is anecdotal evidence, so let's wait for the research--how about some long-term studies on the fetal effects of the flu shot?

  - Dayspring

• January 6, 2011 2:00 p.m.

  Paula, sorry to hear about your flu. It can really knock you off your feet. Rest and lots of fluids.

  - Mary@Mayo

• December 30, 2010 1:59 p.m.

  I am 30 weeks pregant and was just diagnosed with the flu and I must say, I feel awful and very fearful for my baby. My doctor told me to stay in bed rest for 7 days (I've been sick for 3).

  - Paula

• November 8, 2010 10:56 a.m.

  Just read a great book on Overcoming Infertility by Dr. Jay Nemiro. He explains infertility with great passion and going to visit it at his Arizona Fertility Clinic.

  - Gina

• November 2, 2010 11:48 a.m.

  I recently got my first flu shot b/c I am 3.5 months pregnant. The only side effect I noticed was that I was very tired for about a week. I was so tired every night I could hardly stay up past 9:30 PM! Also, the injection site was pretty sore for about the same amount of time-- about a week.

  - Maria