This is a really difficult question and it is a matter of personal choice. I have been having this dilema myself. I work for nhs (but do no have direct contact with patients) and they were giving the jab at work when I was 7 weeks pregnant. I went and asked the person administering it of it was safe toge during pregnancy. I was told it is my choice but, in order to make my decision, I should have all the available infoelation which is that the department of health recommend the jab is safe all the way through pregnancy but that the manufacturers of the vaccine recommend women in their first trimester should not have it. Based on this I chose to hold off until my second tri to get it. Then there was all this public info about how all pregnant women shoul. Get the jab asap no matter where they were in their pregnancies. And I was told at work to take extra precautions because as I am pregnant I am more susceptible to picking it up. I was soooo hygeine conscious for the last few weeks and as we share desks at work I would sanitise my whole desk, keyboard etc at the start of every shift. Then on Monday I started to feel dry throat and my head was abit sore. On Tuesday I went to work but I was feeling terrible all day. I rang in sick for the rest of the week. I spoke to my gp over the phone who was concerned about swine flu although my symptoms are not very severe she was afraid I could pick it up if I didn't already have it. So she prescribed me the swine flu drug relenza which is taken in an inhaler format so that it treats your lungs but doesn't get into your blood in high doses and so very little of it passes to the baby. She asked me if I'd had the jab and I felt guilty saying no as I thought she would think I had been irresponsible by not having it when the government have been making a big thing of all pregnant women getting it. But her response surprised me. She said "well I can understand why you didn't get it, I wouldn't have got it during first trimester either" but she did go on to say that if I did catch the swine flu strain of the flu it could actually cause miscarriage. This made me come off the phone intears I knew swine flu was serious during pregnancy but to hear her actually say the word miscarriage and say that my baby could be at risk was very scary. I am now taking the relenza and although I am slightly concerned that there has probably not been enough research to prove that it is actually safe during pregnancy, I feel like at least I should not get swine flu which can be an even bigger risk. And after I'm feeling better I will be getting the jab as next week I will be 13 weeks.
Sorry this is such a long post. I just wanted to share my experience and explain that there is no right or wrong answer but I hope you can make the best decision for you.
