Pregnant women precautions against swine flu

Pregnant women are in one of the high-risk groups for swine flu. This was advised by most of the doctors and suggested that they should start immediate medication if show symptoms.

Why pregnant women are more at risk for swine flu
In pregnancy, the immune system is naturally suppressed. This means that pregnant women are more likely to catch swine flu. 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 only have mild symptoms.

Symptoms and risks
If you are pregnant and you catch swine flu, the symptoms should be similar to those of regular flu. You will have a fever or high temperature and some of the following:

1.Unusual tiredness
2.Headache
3.Runny nose
4.Sore throat
5.Shortness of breath or cough
6.Loss of appetite
7.Aching muscles
8.Diarrhoea or vomiting

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.

Possible complications are:
1.Pneumonia (an infection of the lungs)
2.Difficulty breathing
3.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.

Precautions
1.If you are pregnant, you can reduce your risk of infection by avoiding unnecessary travel and avoiding crowds where possible.

2.Pregnant women should also follow the general advice outlined in the box, top right. Good hygiene is essential.

3.If a family member or other close contact has swine flu, your doctor may prescribe you antiviral medication (like Relenza) as a prophylactic (preventative) measure.

4.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.

5.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). An expert group reviewed the risk of antiviral treatment in pregnancy. It is 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 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other possible side effects include headaches, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. In a small number of cases, nausea is a side effect of Tamiflu. 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) using their new online system.

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).

Vaccine
It will be October before a swine flu vaccine becomes available. Pregnant women are one of the priority groups for the vaccine and should take this as soon as it is offered. The European Medicines Agency, who license the vaccine, will indicate whether it can be given to all pregnant women or whether it should only be offered at certain stages of pregnancy. The vaccine will not harm you or your unborn baby.

Important:
Recently Doctors suggested that if pregnant woman suffered from cold, cough or any other symptoms of swine flu. Then immediately contact doctor. If swine flu treatment started within 24 hours when she shown symptoms then recovery is sure otherwise there may be complications.
Use of face mask or respirator (N95 Masks) against H1N1/swine flu.

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