Pregnant Women Turn To Alternative Medicine To Avoid Swine Flu
November 16, 2009
Chicago Tribune
By Dahleen Glanton
For months, Rachel Aguayo, who is pregnant with her first child, has been bombarded with messages urging her to be among the first in line for the H1N1 flu vaccine.
But the decision about whether to get the shot is particularly grueling for mothers-to-be, who must balance doctors’ orders against a natural inclination to avoid any medication or other substance that could jeopardize the health of their unborn child.
Many pregnant women get inoculated. But Aguayo, 26, made a personal and potentially risky choice when she ignored her midwife’s advice and opted for alternative, holistic ways to fend off the virus — acupuncture, yoga, healthy eating and what she calls “obsessive” hand-washing.
“I personally don’t feel comfortable with the vaccine,” said Aguayo. “Any decision I’m making with my body now isn’t just for me anymore.”
Health professionals have constantly warned pregnant women about the dangers they face if they contract the flu virus — premature labor, miscarriages, landing in the hospital and even death. Most doctors advise that inoculation is the only way to fully protect themselves and their children. Still, some are searching for alternatives.
Herbs, yoga and other holistic methods have long been used to help women conceive and to boost their immune system once they become pregnant. Now, with pregnant women among the high-risk groups for serious complications from the H1N1 virus, some are turning to those techniques in an attempt to protect themselves from the swine flu.
Dr. Chun-Su Yuan, director of the Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research at the University of Chicago, said there is no clinical evidence proving that herbs and other holistic methods can ward off swine flu. It is possible, however, that some herbs may increase immune activity, he said.
“As a medical doctor, I would say the risks of the swine flu vaccine are much less than the benefits, so people should get the vaccine,” said Yuan. “But for people who have decided absolutely not to take the vaccine or if they are allergic to it, looking at herbs and other alternatives could be useful.”
Holistic workers said they have seen a spike in pregnant women who are seeking more natural ways to protect themselves during the pandemic. The vaccine is a particularly hard sell to pregnant women who had difficulty conceiving, according to Tami Quinn, owner of Pulling Down the Moon, a holistic health center in Chicago.
“These women are nervous about everything, every cough, every sneeze,” said Quinn. “They thought they would get married, move to the suburbs and have their baby, and nothing has been easy. Now with H1N1, they feel like, Why me?”
Quinn said she does not make recommendations to women, but she provides services to help them in whatever route they choose.
Medical doctors said there is nothing wrong with using such methods to boost the immune system, but they warn that it is dangerous to rely on holistic measures as the sole means of guarding against H1N1.
“We do see women who are apprehensive, but we tell them that the complications of getting sick are very dangerous and the best way to protect yourself is with the vaccine,” said Dr. Dayna Salasche, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Northwestern Specialists for Women, an affiliate of Northwestern Hospital. “We counsel them, but ultimately it is their decision.”
