- With Mayo Clinic certified nurse-midwife
Mary Murry, R.N., C.N.M.
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Mary Murry, R.N., C.N.M.
Mary Murry, R.N., C.N.M.
Mary Murry is a nurse-midwife practitioner who is certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
A Cincinnati native, she is a nurse-midwife and instructor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Mary has been a nurse-midwife practitioner for more than 20 years. She co-edited the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy.
Her research interests include adult female survivors of sexual abuse, women's perception of pain in labor and obesity in pregnancy.
Latest entries
- H1N1 vaccine and pregnancy
Oct. 27, 2009
- Blog: Gestational diabetes
Sept. 24, 2009
- Revisiting pregnancy loss
Aug. 20, 2009
- Blog: Bringing home baby
July 9, 2009
- Reflections on parenting
June 9, 2009
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Pregnancy and you blog
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Oct. 27, 2009
H1N1 vaccine: Wise during pregnancy?
By Mary Murry, R.N., C.N.M.
Novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) is the topic of conversation everywhere. It's in the news, on the radio and online. If you're concerned about the H1N1 vaccine and pregnancy, your head could be spinning trying to determine what's fact and what's fiction.
When my patients ask me if I recommend the H1N1 vaccine, I tell them I do. In fact, I encouraged my own daughter — who's pregnant and due in January — to get the H1N1 vaccine. She got sick with H1N1 about three weeks ago, however, before she had the chance to get the vaccine. I haven't seen her that sick since she was a little girl. Believe me, I was worried. She started antiviral medication within the first 48 hours of getting sick and, thankfully, she was back on her feet in about a week.
It's natural to be concerned about the potential side effects of the H1N1 vaccine, both for you and your baby — especially since safety data for the H1N1 vaccine is limited. As research on vaccine safety continues, I believe that the benefits of the H1N1 vaccine far outweigh any potential risks. During pregnancy, complications from the flu can lead to miscarriage, premature labor and other serious pregnancy problems.
In the end, you must make your own decision about the H1N1 vaccine. I can recommend the vaccine all I want, but it's up to you to make the final decision. If you're unsure about vaccination, find out as much as you can about H1N1 flu and the vaccine. Go to Web sites you can trust, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ask your health care provider for a personal recommendation.
Whatever you decide about the H1N1 vaccine, be prepared to act quickly if you think you have the flu. Treatment with an antiviral medication may help, but you can't waste any time. Ideally, the medication should be started within 48 hours of developing symptoms.
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