U.S. health authorities have made pregnant women one of the highest priority groups for getting the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, but is it actually safe for pregnant women and their babies? This is the question asked by Organic Health Adviser, and the answer may shock you. Miscarriage reports from pregnant women who have taken the H1N1 swine flu vaccine are starting to pour in from all over the nation.  Although many doctors, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are urging their pregnant patients to be vaccinated, the package insert for the swine flu vaccines actually says that the safety of these vaccines for pregnant women has not been established.

If you want to read the stories of real women who got the H1N1 swine flu vaccine and then miscarried shortly afterward, click on this Baby Center June 2010 birth club message board. You can also read the article on the About.com Miscarriage/Pregnancy Loss blog, “Some Pregnant Women Fearful of H1N1 Vaccine.” See the comments that follow. Also, see the article and comments in the Organic Health Adviser.

Vaccines have been linked to other disorders and diseases, such as autism, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, although the research is often inconclusive. So the big question is, is there really a link between the vaccine and miscarriage, or are these stories mere coincidences? I am not able to pass judgement, but the fact that the vaccine is closely followed by miscarriage time after time makes the situation very frightening. Dr. Mercola agrees: “Perhaps some of the 20 women on one of the blogs would have miscarried anyway, but when a number of women have healthy, uneventful pregnancies up until they’re injected with a vaccine, and then suddenly miscarry, it most certainly warrants investigation!”

On the flip side, the Star Tribune points out that scientists have noticed a pattern: A disproportionate number of expectant mothers have been hospitalized with the flu. So far, pregnant women, who make up 1 percent of the population, have accounted for 6 percent of H1N1 deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  According to doctors, pregnant women have weaker immune systems and the flu not only endangers their lives, but increases the risks of miscarriage and birth defects as well.  A counter-argument is examined at Swine Flu Alert — Shocking Vaccine Miscarriage Horror Stories, from Mercola.com.

For those who choose not to be vaccinated, there are ways of building your immune system naturally, to ward off the possibility of catching the swine flu (or any other type of flu).  This includes getting adequate levels of Vitamin D (whether through sunlight or supplements), exercise regularly, get enough sleep, address emotional stress, wash your hands frequently, and avoid touching your mouth and nose with unclean hands.

Whether or not to be vaccinated is a decision that no one can or should make for you.  However, we hope that you will make an educated decision on this topic, for yourself and your family, after weighing all the risks and benefits. Whatever your decision, the public should be aware that any time you take a pharmaceutical drug or vaccine of any kind, you need to report any and all side effects to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). You can do this through your doctor– you should ask to get a copy of the report to make sure it was done– or you can report it yourself via the VAERS web site.