Pregnant women here are to be given a choice of swine flu jabs after Switzerland banned one of the mercury-based vaccines for mums-to-be and young children.

Swiss authorities banned the use of Pandemrix for pregnant women because they said there was not enough data on its effects.

The HSE insisted that the vaccine was safe but added that any pregnant woman with concerns could opt for another vaccine.

Health authorities here added that Thiomersal, the mercury-based preservative used in Pandemrix, had been used in medical products and vaccines for over 60 years.

"Thiomersal is broken down in the body and one of the products in ethyl mercury. There is no evidence that ethyl mercury in vaccines has any adverse effects apart from the minor reactions such as swelling and redness at the site of injection," a spokesperson for the HSE said. Meanwhile a significant number of pregnant women have taken the swine flu vaccine.

Reports that pregnant women are at higher risk caused a surge of women to clinics.

Six months pregnant Andrea Mitchell (31), of Leopardstown, said she had not been intending to get the vaccination, but suddenly changed her mind.

She explained: "I had dinner with my cousin last night. Then I was contacted today that my cousin now has swine flu. I went straight away to get the vaccine," she said.

Andrea, who went to the HSE primary care clinic at the Rockfield Medical Centre in Dublin for her injection, declared that she had been researching the vaccine issue and discovered that pregnant women were 30pc more at risk of death from swine flu.

"A very important thing for me was that my baby will have immunity from swine flu for the first six months of life from me being vaccinated," she said.

Silly

"I had spoken to a couple of doctors who are my friends and they told me that I should definitely get vaccinated. And my uncle is a doctor and he told me that the swine flu vaccine has the same base as the regular flu vaccine," she said.

Andrea is originally from San Diego, California, and had even been considering flying home for the vaccine. Instead, she got it for free in Balally.

"I fly a lot and the last time I flew I wore a mask on my face because my obstetrician told me to do so. I felt so silly wearing a mask on the flight -- it was like being some sort of a Michael Jackson character. I'm relieved now that I won't have to wear any more masks."

Ger Nolan (40), from Dundrum, went for the vaccine as her pregnancy placed her in one of the priority categories.

"I must say that I have been feeling nervous about getting the vaccine but I'm getting it anyway," she said.

Sinead McGurl (38), of Malahide, said she definitely had "a lot of mixed feelings" about getting the swine flu jab.

"I am asthmatic and I dithered about it, but I suppose everything in life has a risk to it."

Valerie Coppinger (42) of Sandyford arrived with her schoolboy son Baetan who has an auto-immune condition which puts him in one of the categories for priority vaccination.

"As my son was beginning a new treatment, it was urgent that he get the vaccine today. The HSE was most accommodating and very efficient."

hnews@herald.ie

- Alan O'Keeffe