Medical Exam and Pregnancy - urgent please help

[agopal]

Hello- my PD just became current and my wife could possibly be pregnant (not confirmed). Since we need to get the medical examination done which may require vaccinations wondering if this would have any effect?

Anyone who might have been in the same boat?

Please help

[SVS]

Hi,

This is a very common issue - so nothing to worry about. You have a few options:

1. Try to get a stamped letter from a family doctor detailing all the vaccinations (and corresponding dates) you (/wife) have taken.

2. If you can't do (1), then see if you can get a blood test to confirm that you've taken the required vaccinations.

3. Last option, submit everything for you, and not for your wife. You can get a letter stating that she is pregnant from your Civil Surgeon and provide the paperwork when she is medically fit to take the vaccinations. You also have to submit to a TB test which your Civil Surgeon will tell you about. This option will delay your wife's paperwork but it's not as bad as it sounds.

The important thing to remember is that while this is your first time with the Medical exam, it's not for the Civil Surgeon. If you find a good one, they will help you out.

Good Luck,

SVS

[belmontboy]

Hello- my PD just became current and my wife could possibly be pregnant (not confirmed). Since we need to get the medical examination done which may require vaccinations wondering if this would have any effect?

Anyone who might have been in the same boat?

Please help

the required vaccinations are: Tdap, MMR & ChickenPox.

If your wife is from India then she will have had chicken pox when she was under 10 years old (wink).

During pregnancy it is safe to get Tdap.
It is not safe to take MMR shot, however if you can prove that your wife had MMR shot in last few years, civil surgeon will accept that.

TB test - skin test is safe during pregnancy.

The above are from our practical experience.

HTH

[agopal]

Thanks very much

[abybaby81]

There is an alternative to the TB skin test, called quantiferon gold, where they simply draw blood instead of the skin test. It is a costlier exam, but if you want to get the paperwork done right away, then that is an alternative.

[sudarshana_sg]

Have the pregnancy test done first, and if she is pregnant, take that info to the civil surgeon when you go. The only problem is with the MMR- the TB skin test and the Tdap are fine during a pregnancy. The civil surgeon will probably issue a blanket waiver for the MMR and cite the pregnancy as a reason - which is perfectly OK. Dont worry about it - oh and if you guys do turn out to be expecting a baby- Congratulations! :)

[knaveen_reddy]

My wife is pregnant and she is due in March.So you saying she can have TB Skin test and tdap and for the rest of the vaccinations get waver from civil surgeon?

Q - 1
When i file I-485 for my wife with above waver, Is it possible that she may get RFE?

Q - 2
What is the full list for MEDICAL EXAMS needs to be done for normal person (means TB Skin,Tdap, MMR ...what else?)

Thanks

[srinivas02]

Hi,

First confirm you pregnancy..... Congratulations.

I was in the same boat as you. My wife was 5 months pregnant at the time we visited Civil Surgeon.

She already had MMR taken during her first pregnancy. So it was not a problem.

She got TB Skin Test done and turn out it was negative.

But if it is Positive she has to go for X-Ray which they will not do because of Pregnancy.

We didn't take Tdap because our obgyn didn't recommend it.

Our Civil Surgeon wrote comments that she was pregnant and will take the Vaccinations after the Pregnancy.

Civil Surgeon should be knowing better they might have seen these type of cases before too.

[knaveen_reddy]

Thanks!

So you saying only get TB Skin test while pregnancy and get the waiver for all other exams and vaccinations from civil surgeon?

BTW, what is the list of meidcal exams + vaccinations usually? May be i will check with my wife OBGYN before we go for medical exams.

[sudarshana_sg]

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-693.pdf

the above form has a list of all tests and vaccines required. Just take papers from the ob-gyn's office confirming your wife's pregnancy to the civil surgeon when you go- the civil surgeon will do the rest. There is a possibility of course that you might get an rfe, but what is more important to you- the health of your unborn child, or a few months delay ( at worst) in getting your green card. Seems like a no brainer to me. word of caution- exposure to measles (which is a component of MMR) during pregnancy has been demonstrated to cause harm to the foetus. Dont worry about it too much- enjoy the pregnancy and the fact that your PD is current- its just a matter of time now :)

[srinivas02]

Medical Exams:
TB Skin Test, Blood Work

Recommended Vaccinations By Civil Surgeon:
Tdap, MMR, Flu Shot.

My Civil Surgeon said to check with obgyn if it is ok before taking any Vaccinations.

[knaveen_reddy]

Thanks and appreciated!

[agopal]

Thanks to everyone who responded. Truly appreciate the help.

Keeping fingers crossed!