To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

That is the question. Our whole family has gotten the seasonal flu shot. But, I'm being urged by the OBGYN to get the Swine Flu/H1N1 shot later this month. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. I've researched the vaccine and looked at possible side effects and several things make me uneasy. First, Pregnant women haven't really been evaluated with what the reverse effects are for them and their unborn child. Second, The country has just started a study of less than 20 pregnant women (in the WHOLE COUNTRY!) less than a half a month ago. And Third (which is the most important to me), Washington State has had to lift the ban on mercury content in this shot only for pregnant women and small children. Why? Because the mercury content is higher than Washington State would normally allow for those groups to receive because of possible health and other side effects. So, they actually have to raise the level they'll allow because the shot is going to have a higher than usual amount of a preservative called Thermisol that has been associated (by some, denied by others) to be the link to causing Autism in children. But the preservative that is going to be in this shot has nto definitively been linked to it, just closely related in some areas. It really depends on your stand for Autism and Vaccinations with Mercury in it. So, now I am faced with a dilema. Do I vaccinate? I mean, the way they are going to do it is two different shots three weeks apart. It's not even available until the end of this month beginning of next. I'm due around the 20th of December. And I'm going to probably be induced because my doctor is going out of town for Christmas and we want her to deliver our baby instead of who happens to be on call then. There are a lot of questions. Not sure what to do.