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Pregnant Women Offered H1N1 Vaccine At DHMC

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Nov 3, 2009 6:46 pm US/Mountain

Pregnant Women Offered H1N1 Vaccine At DHMC

Written by Health Specialist Kathy Walsh

Reporting
Kathy Walsh
DENVER (CBS4) ― The H1N1 vaccine has been tough to find in Colorado. The state has received 250,000 doses but needs an estimated 2 million to cover the high-risk groups. But that doesn't mean the most vulnerable people remain unprotected.

The swine flu shot was given out Tuesday at a Denver Health Medical Center clinic for expectant mothers dealing with high-risk pregnancies. Mayra Rodriguez, 18, is 17 weeks pregnant. She came in for a checkup and got both a seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine.

"I thought it was going to hurt, but it didn't hurt," Rodriguez said.

And she was happy to have it.

Tania Mendoza gladly rolled up her sleeve as well. She is pregnant with her third child and grateful that the Women's Care Clinic at Denver Health is offering her the vaccination.

"I heard a lot of stuff about this illness and just want to be protected," said Mendoza.

Denver Health has strict limits right now on who gets the swine flu shots. The hospital has received less than 30 percent of the H1N1 vaccine it ordered. But when there are doses available, pregnant women are at the top of the priority list.

"H1N1 can be extremely serious in pregnancy and there have been reports of patients being hospitalized on ventilators with pneumonia and complications related to H1N1. So, it's a very dangerous virus for pregnant women," said Deb Gardner, nurse manager of the Women's Care Clinic at Denver Health.

In the last week about 200 expectant women and new moms have been immunized in the clinic. They endured a little pinch for some peace of mind.

Denver Health is waiting for more doses of the H1N1 vaccine. In the meantime it has postponed most of its clinics. But there will be clinics at both the Eastside and Westside Family Health Centers this Sunday. Shots will be for pregnant women, children under 18 and health care workers who show their photo ID. The clinics run from 8 a.m. until the supply runs out.

For more information go to www.denverhealth.org or www.immunizecolorado.com or call the Denver Health flu line at (303) 436-6100.

Additional Resources

CBS4's H1N1 Survival Guide contains hospital and clinic information for getting a vaccination -- many of them free. It also contains many useful links, sections and the latest articles and video clips about the swine flu. Visit the H1N1 Survival Guide

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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