If you are pregnant, you are in one of the high-risk groups for swine flu, so it is important you get as much information on it and follow the advice to protect yourself and your baby.
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 (see below).
However, it is important not to panic: your immune system still functions and the risk of complications is still very small. The majority of pregnant women will only suffer mild symptoms.
Symptoms and risks
If you are pregnant and you catch swine flu, the symptoms are expected to be similar to those of regular human seasonal flu. Typical symptoms are fever and a cough, and sometimes also tiredness, headache, aching muscles, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or diarrhoea.
Most pregnant women will have only mild symptoms and recover within a week. However, there is evidence from previous flu pandemics that pregnant women are more likely to develop complications from flu.
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 box, top right. 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 preventative (prophylactic) measure.
- If you think that you may have swine flu, check your symptoms online. If you are still concerned, call your doctor for an assessment immediately (see box, above left). 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 so you can 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 the antiviral drug Relenza, which 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, if your doctor or midwifery specialist thinks that a different medicine is needed (for instance, if you have unusually severe flu), you will be given Tamiflu instead.
An expert group reviewed the risk of antiviral treatment in pregnancy, which is extremely small – much smaller than the risk posed by the symptoms of swine flu.
Some people have had wheezing or serious breathing problems when they have used Relenza. Relenza is therefore not recommended for people with asthma or COPD. Other possible side effects include headaches, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
Nausea is a known side effect of Tamiflu, in a small number of cases.
If you take an antiviral and have side effects, see your healthcare professional to check that you are ok. Then report your suspected drug reaction to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) via their new new online system.
Painkillers
You can also take paracetamol-base cold remedies to reduce fever and other symptoms. Paracetamol is safe to take in pregnancy.
However, pregnant women should not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Nurofen).
Vaccine
It will be in the autumn before a swine flu vaccine becomes available. When it is available, there will be guidelines on which groups of people are a greater priority for vaccination.
You should take up the swine flu vaccine as soon as it is offered – it will not harm you or your unborn baby.
General measures to prevent swine flu
You can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading swine flu by:
- Always covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
- Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and warm water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face, or to other people.
- Cleaning hard surfaces, such as door handles, frequently using a normal cleaning product
Where to get more information
Further reliable information on swine flu is available from the following sources:
