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Swine flu in pregnancy

 

If you are pregnant, you are in one of the high risk groups for swine flu.

If you are pregnant and have flu-like symptoms:

Stay at home and call your GP, who will be able to give a diagnosis over the phone.
If swine flu is confirmed, your GP will advise you on how to collect antiviral medication.
Ask a healthy friend or relative to pick up the antiviral medication for you.

In the meantime, take paracetamol to reduce fever and other symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest. For more advice see the Swine flu pregnancy leaflet.

Why pregnant women are more at risk

In pregnancy, the immune system is naturally suppressed. This means that pregnant women are more likely to catch swine flu, and if they do catch it, they are more likely to develop complications.

Don't panic: your immune system still functions and the risk of complications is very small. Most pregnant women will have only mild symptoms and recover within a week.

Possible complications are:

  • pneumonia (an infection of the lungs),
  • difficulty breathing, and
  • dehydration

In pregnant women, these are more likely to happen in the second and third trimester.

If a pregnant woman develops a complication of swine flu, such as pneumonia, there is a small chance this will lead to premature labour or miscarriage. There is not yet enough information to know precisely how likely these birth risks are.

It is therefore important to be well prepared and to take precautions against swine flu.

Special precautions

  • If you are pregnant, you can reduce your risk of infection by avoiding unnecessary travel and avoiding crowds where possible.
  • Pregnant women should also follow the general advice outlined in the general swine flu information. Good hygiene is essential.
  • If a family member or other close contact has swine flu, your doctor may prescribe you antiviral medication (usually Relenza) as a prophylactic (preventative) measure.
  • If you think that you may have swine flu, call your doctor for an assessment immediately. If your doctor confirms swine flu over the phone, you will be prescribed antiviral medication to take as soon as possible.
  • Unless you have swine flu symptoms, carry on attending your antenatal appointments to monitor the progress of your pregnancy.

Swine flu treatment:

Antivirals

If you are pregnant and diagnosed with swine flu, you will usually be given a course of antiviral drugs, which should be taken as soon as possible. If you have an uncomplicated illness due to influenza and do not have an underlying disease, you can take either Relenza or Tamiflu. Relenza is recommended as first choice.

Relenza is inhaled using a disk-shaped inhaler. It is recommended for pregnant women because it easily reaches the throat and lungs, where it is needed, and does not reach significant levels in the blood or placenta. Relenza should not affect your pregnancy or your growing baby.

However, Tamiflu should be offered to you instead of Relenza if you:

  • have a condition such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
  • have difficulty taking an inhaled antiviral, or
  • develop a severe or complicated disease due to influenza (where you will probably be treated in hospital).

Painkillers

You can also take paracetamol to reduce fever and other symptoms; this is safe to take in pregnancy.

However, pregnant women should not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Nurofen).



Last reviewed: 08/09/2010

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