Flu, Whooping Cough & Covid Vaccines

[anz07]

Hi All,

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with my first baby. After 4 rounds of IVF and 4 miscarriages, one of which was my baby's twin, I am overly cautious about the decisions I make during my pregnancy and am after some advice/reassurance please.

I haven't had any vaccinations during my pregnancy yet and know that I'll need to get the flu, whooping cough and Covid vaccines if I want to be as safe as possible. I had my Covid vaccine booked in at 18 weeks but panicked on the day and cancelled it.

I'm thinking to wait until 24 weeks to start having all these vaccines but am worried that I'll be having an overload of vaccines, even when leaving gaps in-between.

Wherever I look there is always some talk of miscarriage/danger to the baby which freaks me out. I am most worried about the Covid jab due to the lack of data, particularly in terms of any long-term effects to the child.

I guess I'm looking for reassurance more than anything else. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Jess1981]

I'm not sure about the mixing of vaccinations ( best to check with a midwife) but I had my Covid vaccination a week before we conceived and my second dose I had at 14 weeks pregnant- I was very scared about making the decision but my obstetrician reassured me it was much safer than getting Covid in last trimester with risk of pre term labour twice as likely to have still born and 1-10 pregnant women end up in intensive care unit 🥲 my obstetrician also recommended to still wear masks, social distancing and hand washing even after double vaccination. I had a scan a few days afterwards as I had some spotting and had severe paranoia ( I've had 3 early miscarriages and a late loss at 20 weeks) baby is fine, so I'm now certain I made the right decision for us both. My obstetrician said it's even safe to have done in the first trimester ( personally I wouldn't coz of the risk of miscarriage is higher than and wouldn't want to blame myself) It is your decision of course. Not a live vaccination so won't harm baby and may even give baby some antibodies immunity from Covid which is a great thing. I'm so sorry you lost a twin that is heartbreaking and really sorry for the other losses you've suffered. Huge congratulations on this baby all the best with your pregnancy. Good luck with whatever you decide to do it's not an easy decision to make Xx

[anz07 in reply to Jess1981]

Thank you very much for your response, it has been really helpful! It's great to hear you had both doses and all has been fine. I think I'm going to get my whooping cough vaccine in the next couple of weeks and then move onto the Covid one...followed by the flu jab in-between the first and second dose of the Covid vaccine. If only the Covid jab were one vaccine!! Thank you again xx

[Jess1981 in reply to anz07]

Oh it's very hard decision to make. Especially when you've endured a long difficult struggle to conceive ( our 2 year old daughter took us 7 years of TTC) When I was having it done I was like oh my god I hope I'm doing the right thing! There is so much scaremongering( ignore them they are the same people that don't let their children have immunisations which I don't agree with ) )I've read lots of ladies on here that have had the Covid vaccination in pregnancy and their babies are doing well, that helped reassure me. The midwives and obstetricians wouldn't recommend it if there were any safety concerns like before they would advise pregnant women shield. . There are no known issues with the vaccination but we do know COVID19 in last trimester can be very bad for mum and baby. I think it's the lesser of the 2 evils! Apparently it's same as flu vaccination just as wage for pregnant women which is different every year - I had the flu vaccination with my toddler she's fine and will again. Carrie Johnson has had both vaccinations and they had a awful miscarriage before this baby and she's saying it's totally safe. Every medic I've spoken to say well done good decision. It will keep you and your precious baby safer. I think you are making a sensible decision that I know isn't easy to make Xx

[Seb9]

Congratulations on your pregnancy ❤️

In my first pregnancy I had my flu and whopping cough vaccine, had a great pregnancy and toddler is 2 and a hilarious

My second pregnancy, I delivered at 4.47 this morning, I've had my flu, whooping cough and both my Covid vaccinations at 21 and I think 27 weeks, as soon as they said to get it in pregnancy. I'm currently on the ward waiting to be discharged with another perfect baby girl.

For me this risk of me or my children getting sick is far scarier than the very small chance of having any reaction from the vaccine. Millions of pregnant woman take the whooping cough and flu jab with no issue and the results coming from the Covid-19 vaccines have shown no il effect either. The vaccine ingredients are removed very quickly from your body and doesn't cross the placenta, so there's no chance of it causing any long term effects as the only thing that reaches the baby is the anti bodies you make, so all they get is the ability to fight covid better.

There's so much misinformation online about vaccines which I would recommend trying to completely ignore and go with the advice of the RCOG, NHS etc. Which is that vaccines are safe and save lives.

If anyone gives you any other information about vaccines, make sure you thoroughly assess the information and make sure they're offering you reliable sources.

Good luck with your decision xx

[anz07 in reply to Seb9]

Oh wow! A huge CONGRATULATIONS on the birth of your daughter!! Amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me during such a monumental time in your life. 🙂

It's great to hear that you had all the vaccines and that everything has been fine. I agree re going down Google rabbit holes. Think I just need to make the decision and stick with it...no more Googling!

I have decided to book in my whooping cough vaccine in the next couple of weeks and then have the Covid one a couple of weeks after that. I think I will end up having the flu jab in-between my first and second dose of the Covid vaccine. Here's hoping I avoid side effects from all of them because, if not, I'll be spending a lot of time in bed!! 😩

Wishing you all the very best for your post-birth recovery. Enjoy these precious first moments with your lovely daughter xxx

[Jogsandwalks in reply to anz07]

Congratulations Seb9 . Well done ❤

[Mcra in reply to Seb9]

Seb9 congratulations! So happy to see you and your baby girl are doing well. 💐

[Sparklylife in reply to Seb9]

Congratulations Seb9 🥰 Glad to hear you are both well!!

[Purpledoggy]

You are advised to separate flu and COVID jabs by at least a week but other than that I am not aware of specific contraindications regarding getting jabs close together. The best people to check with are your midwife or GP. They aren't going to let you do anything unsafe xx

[anz07 in reply to Purpledoggy]

Thank you for your reply! I spoke with my GP this morning and she said to leave a couple of weeks in-between each one. Vaccination overload over the next couple of months for me then!! 😃 xx

[Mcra]

I'm 34 weeks pregnant, I had whooping cough and first dose of Covid vaccines in second trimester, and second dose in third. My flu vaccine is in 2 weeks, that's the first day it's available for this season. The baby is doing well, growing, kicking, my pregnancy is low risk.

I know you have to have 7 days between flu and Covid, and 2 weeks between whopping cough and Covid jabs (as adviced by my midwife). Not sure if flu and whooping cough vaccines can be mixed, so better check that.

I'm really sorry for your losses, I can't imagine how it must feel. It's your decision when you start getting the jabs but I'd really considered doing it sooner rather than later because the flu season is about to start. Both flu and Covid can be dangerous for you in third trimester and you can catch them at the same time.

Flu and whopping cough vaccines have been given routinely to pregnant women for years now (in some countries longer than in other). Covid vaccine though newer based on evidence so far protects well from serious symptoms: 98% of pregnant women, who were hospitalised didn't have the vaccine, 2% had one dose. Also in the beginning the message was a bit vague, leaving it up to a woman to decide what's best for her. Now senior midwife, and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend getting vaccinated.

england.nhs.uk/2021/07/chie...

I'd recommend talking to your midwife or GP if you feel anxious about the jabs. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy, I hope everything goes well ❤️

[Mai94]

You can’t overload the immune system so having time together is fine, ladies have been having their flu and whooping cough at the same time for years. Just think when babies are just 8 weeks old they have one injection protecting them against 6 diseases, another protecting them against a different one and an oral immunisation for another disease! 4 weeks later they have another batch and then again 4 weeks after that! They cope tremendously well 🥰 there are side rare effects when taking simple things like paracetamol so you will read things about the vaccines but as others have said it’s so much safer than getting Covid during your pregnancy. I had both of my vaccines at the start of the year and ill be having my booster soon and will likely still be in my first trimester when I have it!

You’re right to question and think about these things as it’s important you make an informed decision that you’re comfortable with xx

[Bigblueskies]

Hi

I’m sorry you had to go through pregnancy losses, I can understand why you’re nervous. I also experienced two pregnancy losses in the past and actually I felt exactly the opposite about vaccines (funny how our fears play out in different ways). I wanted to have all the vaccines as soon as possible because I didn’t want to become ill and lose another baby, particularly from the flu which is so common. So I’ve had them all! They wanted me to space out the whooping cough and covid vaccines. I had to wait 2-3 weeks between them.

I had the whooping cough and flu vaccines in my previous healthy pregnancy. My two year old is completely fine! I don’t know why there is so much scaremongering about vaccines. Non-live vaccines do not cross the placenta and if anything help the baby build some immunity too which helped my paranoia also. But I know there is so much information out there that is terrifying so I understand it can feel scary.

I have always been more terrified of catching a random illness and losing or harming my baby than having regulated vaccinations. There is always a risk with everything and I guess we gravitate towards the risk we can emotionally cope with or feels less likely.

One thing I was told about the covid vaccine is to have them after the first trimester but not too late in the third trimester. As it turned out I had hardly any side effects from either dose and I feel so much safer knowing I will be giving birth fully vaccinated. There’s too many hospital visits in pregnancy and, frankly hospitals to me, are full of risk of infections.

I hope you stay safe and get some clarity one way or another although I would highly recommend the vaccines.

[Lisamoreton19]

Hi there, I had my little girl on 16th July I had my covid vaccine when I was 34 weeks pregnant, I was fine not a single side effect, I was worried too and spoke to the doctors and my midwife about the risks, I decided that the risk to the baby with having the vaccine was less that getting covid in late pregnancy so decided to have the vaccine. I would just do as much research as you can and make your decision. My little girl is 7 weeks old now and we've had no issues with anything at all but you need to make the decision that is right for you. Maybe see if you can space the vaccines out over a couple of weeks if your worried about the overload to your immune system. Xx

[Twiglet2]

Flu and whooping cough is standard to get together and completely fine you get them at 20weeks. The whopping cough isn’t actually for you but so that he baby has immunity as soon as it is born.

Covid vaccine is completely your choice and their is a nhs helpline to discuss this with pregnant ladies , the number is on your vaccine apppointment letter or nhs website. I think those people would be best places to answer about the covid vaccine in general while pregnant as well as timings with other vaccines etc.

Take care xx .

[andrina25]

Hi,I had my first covid vaccine during the time when I conceived, then delayed the 2. dose till week 16. I was also slightly worried to get the second dose in the first trimester but had no issues at week 16. Personally, my rationale is that all these health professionals telling me to get the covid vaccine and the message is clear. If I decided not to get vaccinated and would get covid and as a result of that, sth would happen to my baby, I couldn’t forgive myself. There was a woman age 36 in the news recently who died straight after giving birth because of covid (she was not vaccinated but had no health issues). Her partner was heartbroken. I don’t know about the other vaccines yet but will be following the doctors’ advice.

Sorry for your losses and congratulations.

[CAS2]

I’ve had Covid and Whooping cough with no problems. An anethetist friend of mine was telling me a lot of women who get sick in trimester 3 are being intubated and having c section under general anethetic and are really sick. He says it so important to get the vaccine as your body is under stress being pregnant anyway. Hard decision I know but with schools abs unis going back the numbers will only go up.

[Jane_e]

Hi Anz07, You won’t be able to get them at the same time, you’ll need to space them out by at least a week. I had to have my anti D injection at 28 weeks and was due to get my covid vaccine the next day, they turned me away and told me to come back in 7 days. It states that it must be at least 7 days and then it is safe to get another vaccine.

I was so paranoid about getting the covid vaccine whilst pregnant but then recently I kept hearing of some bad cases with women in the 3rd trimester so decided to get it done.

I’ve now had the flu, whooping cough and 1st dose of Pfizer, last one being 3 weeks ago. For other reasons I’ve had scans scheduled in and baby is doing really well at 34+ weeks ❤️❤️❤️