Around twice of the usual number of pregnant women have received flu vaccines due to the H1N1 pandemic the past year, as encouraged by physicians, researchers from the federal government reported, Thursday.

However, about half of those pregnant women acquired such vaccine during the flu season, even though they are prone to incur such disease, or even their babies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered.

On the other hand, these women admitted that they were frightened for their health as well as their babies’, CDC stated.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists both suggest that such women get vaccinated to be able to ensure their protection and those of their babies.

According to statistics, 24 percent of pregnant women got vaccinated during 2007 – 2008 flu season while only around 11 percent did the following year. At the time of the flu pandemic, Americans were advised to have two separate flu shots: the seasonal vaccine and the one for H1N1 swine flu.

Meanwhile, those who are pregnant are among those who are highly prioritized since they are part of the group that is susceptible to this disease.

Researchers from CDC have taken a look at the studies of around 16,000 women who are pregnant in ten states.
According to their findings, about 50 percent have acquired the seasonal vaccine, while 46 percent had the one for swine flu.

There was more than 60 percent who told that their physicians suggested that they get an H1N1 vaccine, while around 6 percent told their physicians did not. As for the seasonal vaccine, there were 67 percent. 75 percent were suggested to have H1N1.

Likewise, according to a weekly report from CDC regarding illness and death, the health care providers’ roles are very important in this regard.

With the 2,290 females who acquired an H1N1 vaccine in 2009, 50.9 percent were said to have received it the obstetrician’s office while 25.7 percent were able to receive it at the community clinic or health department.

When it comes to those who did not receive such vaccines, more than 60 percent admitted that they were scared for their health as well as their babies’.

Government officials are then wondering as to why people in general are unable to acquire such vaccines. CDC approximates that 115 million vaccine doses for seasonal flu were consumed the previous season. However, amidst the 162 million vaccines for swine flu, only about 80 million were consumed.

As of March, research experts have reported that pregnant women in New Zealand and Australia who incurred swine flu have 13 times the chance of becoming severely ill and admitted to health care facilities.

Meanwhile, just this October, they found out that those infants whose mothers received such vaccine while they were pregnant are less likely to acquire such type of flu or some type of respiratory illness during their first six months.