Pregnant Women And The H1N1 Vaccine

(Savannah) Kelly Abrelo is married and just celebrated her 26th birthday Tuesday.  She’s also pregnant with her second child.  Her routine doctor’s visit to OB -GYN Associates of Savannah comes with information about the H1N1 vaccine.  “I was a little skeptical at first, but to talk to the doctor and find out more how they’re more comfortable with it.  You know it puts me at ease,“ says Kelly.  Dr. Glen Scarbrough is encouraging pregnant moms to get the vaccine.
“With pregnancy we are dealing with a patient who is immuno compromised to an extent and pregnancy in general is a higher risk and there has been a disproportionately large number of patients who have in fact died from the H1N1 flu who were pregnant.”  Dr. Scarbrough says some of his patients are reluctant about getting the vaccine.  They ask him up front would you give it to your kids. His answer yes.  “Okay if he’s willing to give it to his family then I’m okay with it .  Definitely looking forward to getting the vaccine for it,” says Kelly.  Dr. Scarbrough says the vaccine is a two for one deal for mom and baby.  “As long as the child is in utero that child is protected by the mother’s immune system and so a vaccine that would protect mom would also protect the child.“ 
At this point getting patients to understand more about the vaccine is a priority.  “I think this by far as it relates to H1N1 vaccine that the benefits outweigh the risk that’s why I would encourage it for all my pregnant moms.“ Dr. Scarbrough says that he has always recommended the seasonal flu vaccine to his patients—and is just waiting, right now, for the H1N1 vaccine to arrive.