Pregnant women and swine flu vaccine

Pregnant women who have been struggling with whether or not to have a swine flu vaccine will want to note something mentioned in our latest story on the delivery of swine flu vaccine.

In it Chief Public Health Office David Butler-Jones said pregnant women should consider getting the first available version of the H1N1 vaccine, rather than waiting for the unadjuvanted version to arrive at "a later date."

Pregnant women have been identified as more likely to develop severe complications from swine flu. Women, generally, are more affected by H1N1 than men.

The adjuvant - or additive - in the swine flu vaccine is a mix of fish oil, water and vitamin E. It boosts the strength of the vaccine and makes the available supply of antigen go further, as less is needed for each person. This story addresses the common concerns about the vaccine.

Reminder: Kids older than 10 need 1 swine flu dose; under 10 need 2.

For all the H1N1 updates and resources you need, please bookmark our Swine Flu page.