H1N1: Lawmakers investigating vaccine shortage, pregnant women especially at risk

Lawmakers are looking for answers about the H1N1 vaccine shortage.
   
Senate leaders say the government bought around 250 million doses, but shipments continue to fall behind schedule.
   
The CDC says communication mistakes are to blame.

“One thing i think we can look back and say was a mistake,  was some of our communication, that whether we meant to or not i think we lead expectations of availability to be higher than they have been,“ says Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC.

Senators say public health leaders only made the problem worse, advising too many high risk groups to get the vaccine.

One of those high risk groups, pregnant women, are especially vulnerable to H1N1.

The CDC says more than 100 pregnant women have been admitted to the ICU and about 30 have died from the virus.
   
This woman, Jessica Cruz Briscoe, caught the virus while seven months pregnant.
   
She was hospitalized and even placed in a drug-induced coma, where doctors decided to eventually deliver her healthy baby through c-section.

“The excitement dies down and you’re like, well, we have this beautiful baby boy but mama’s still in the hospital.“ says Kevin Briscoe, a new father.

Jessica was lucky.  With close monitoring and medicine, she continues to make a slow recovery.
   
Doctors say stories like these stress the importance of pregnant women being the first to get vaccinated.