On the Record

The Risks and Benefits of Infant Immunizations

By Nicole Magistro

Archana Arora read the newspaper article carefully. It reported on infant vaccines and the alleged connections between immunization and autism. "I know that vaccines are supposed to be good," says the physical therapist and first-time mom in Palm Harbor, Fla. "But something really concerned me about this."

At the request of her pediatrician, Arora had already set up an appointment for her 6-month-old daughter, Divya, to receive the next round of immunizations. But before canceling the appointment altogether, Arora armed herself with information. She talked with other mothers and researched the vaccinations Divya would receive on reputable medical Web sites. She also consulted her husband, a physician. With a clearer picture of the risks, she called her pediatrician.

"I asked them specifically if any of their vaccinations contained Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative that was once used in immunization serums," she says. Drug manufacturers discontinued the use of vaccines with Thimerosal two years ago, after studies suggested the chemical's link to reduced motor control and autism. Still, Arora wanted to be certain there weren't old drugs in use, and at this office, there weren't. "With that information, I felt I could make the best choice for my daughter," she says. Two weeks later, Divya's immunization record was updated.

Like Arora, thousands of parents have recently tuned in to the risks associated with immunizing an infant or toddler. Most have been alerted by studies or news items that tell the stories of vaccines gone awry. But according to leading pediatricians, the risks of contracting the diseases are much greater than those associated with immunization.

"Side effects are much less frequent and definitely much milder than the effects of diseases like polio, hepatitis B or measles," says Dr. William J. Cashore, associate chief of pediatrics at Women and Infant's Hospital in Providence, R.I. "Many people haven't ever seen what these diseases can do to a community, and so they focus on the vaccines instead."

Dr. Cashore recalls closed playgrounds and empty schools during the polio epidemic of 1952, which crippled 58,000 people in one summer. During medical school, he also treated pregnant women with measles and boys who later suffered infertility following bouts with the illness. And though the diseases have all but been snuffed out – mostly due to international immunization efforts – Dr. Cashore warns that children are the most vulnerable when it comes to getting sick.

Want to see more?

• From Birth, Going Forward: Manage Your Baby's Health Records
• Immunizations: Preventative Measures to Keep Your Children Healthy
• Vaccines: What's Best for Your Baby?
• Talk about it!