H1N1 vaccines and expectant St. Louis moms

October 27, 2:21 PMSt. Louis Family & Parenting ExaminerAngela Atkinson

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Only one in four pregnant moms will get the H1N1 vaccine this year. Will you?
Image Credit: Emily Cahal

A new study reported by WebMD today says that, while the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology strongly recommend it, only one in four pregnant women plan to get the H1N1 vaccine this year.

Interestingly, the study found that about 43 percent of moms (pregnant or otherwise) with kids under the age of two plan to get their kids vaccinated this flu season--a ten percent increase from last year. Even so, only 27 percent will get vaccinated themselves.

According to the study, the problem seems to be that there is considerable misinformation and confusion over the vaccine's safety and effectiveness, especially in pregnant women. In reality, say doctors, the H1N1 vaccine is produced in the same way as any other flu vaccine and is equally safe.

Still, CDC research indicates that pregnant women are at a significantly higher risk for hospitalization due to complications from flu viruses as compared to others. As such, and considering that H1N1 is the primary virus threat this season, researchers recommend that all pregnant woman get the vaccines.

And, according to Dr. Ashley Roman, who is a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine as well as an assistant clinical professor at Yale University, "Both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots are safe for women to get during any stage of pregnancy and the shots are available in thimerosal-free forms, for those who are concerned about mercury preservatives."

St. Louis and the H1N1 Vaccines

Even so, getting vaccinated in the St. Louis area might not be as easy as it sounds. The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported today that while the nasal spray vaccine isn't approved for use in pregnant women (since it contains a live virus), some forms that can be injected are also considered unsafe since they contain a preservative containing mercury.

And while the CDC says this preservative is safe for expectant moms, Missouri law prohibits the use of it in pregnant women and children under three, primarily due to the possible autism link--which has been denied by federal health agencies.

Though the laws are in place to protect Missouri residents, the vaccines without preservatives cost more and are harder to obtain. This has caused a temporary shortage that is directly affecting pregnant women. In fact, Missouri has only received just over 4000 vaccines without the preservative in it, but there are over 60,000 pregnant women in the state.

Free Clinics Scheduled for St. Louis County Moms

Good news for St. Louis County pregnant women, though. Two free H1N1 vaccine clinics are scheduled, which will each provide about 1000 preservative-free flu shots for expectant moms.

On October 31 from 7 am to 1 pm, St. John's Medical Mercy Center in Creve Coeur and DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton will each offer the shots at no charge to St. Louis County residents.

Pre-registration is required, so be sure to call 1-866-891-6685 to register at St. John's clinic or 1-866-776-3627 for DePaul's clinic.


For More Information: For residents of St. Louis city or the surrounding counties, call Missouri's flu hotline at 1-877-358-4141 for information about getting vaccinated in your area. You can also find updated flu information at Flu.gov. Read more about family health from the St. Louis Family & Parenting Examiner.