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Vaccinations During Pregnancy

How safe is a flu shot if you're pregnant?

By Aly Myles, Fox 21 News
The following article can be viewed at Colorado Connections

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- In just about every grocery store or doctor's office you go to, signs on the wall suggest getting flu shots for children, elderly people and pregnant women.

But for people who are anti-vaccinations, the signs are misleading.

Kelly Calabrese is a certified nutritionist in Colorado Springs. She said a healthy body shouldn't use any vaccines.

"When you get exposed to this level of toxic contaminants, it's going to play havoc on your immune system, and then it's going to ultimately play havoc on your neurological system," Calabrese said. "But the first system that gets taken out is your endocrine system."

Calabrese specializes in organic solutions, suggesting everything from clay bath therapies to changing diets, in order to maintain a medicine-free life.

"You don't need to have those vaccines; you really don't, especially the kind we have today," she said. "With all the different fillers, these vaccines are causing us to have serious health disorders, and the impact financially is so huge, the patients I work with - the parents are just using all their money to help their children. They can't go on vacation, they can't eat out, they can't do anything normal because all their money is going to their children's care to help them get better, help them get well."

Becky Dirksen is one of Calabrese's patient's mothers. Ava, at 3 years old, is just now starting to speak after being diagnosed with Autism. Dirksen blames the flu shot she got during her second trimester for Ava's condition.

"I was one of the chillest moms. 'Oh, they're fine.' I never looked into any of this conspiracy, you know, 'the government is out to get money or manipulate us in any way' but we talk about fear. Fear gets us to vaccinate all these diseases. It's a fear base that drives us here and drives us to vaccinations," Dirksen said. "Now, there's the fear I have as a mom. We've experienced ill effects of vaccinations, now I'm so afraid to trust anything."

Both Dirksen and Calabrese believe toxic metals like Mercury were in the flu shot Dirksen received, masked behind a chemical called Thimerosal.  According to the Center for Disease and Control,  Thimerosal is used in multi-dose vials to keep germs and bacteria from growing. They stop that bacteria by using Mercury.

But, Dr. Edwin Baca, who works at Integrity Urgent Care, said you won't find Mercury in modern day vaccines.

"It's mostly a myth. There used to be additives in years past. There might've been some Mercury that caused problems or Autism, but it's been very well proven these days, there's no Mercury involved in the flu shot." Baca said. "[The flu shot] is a killed virus, so it doesn't give any woman who is pregnant the flu, but it does boost our immune system with antibodies against the flu."

There are multiple types of the flu shot. This year's blocks three types of strains, made from six different FDA-approved vaccine manufacturers. Combined, there will be between 166 and 173 million vaccines produced this year.

To learn what's in your flu shots, the manufacturers, or what's recommended, ask your doctor.


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