Pregnant women and swine flu

By Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times

Flu can be especially dangerous in pregnant women, especially during the third trimester. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recently warned that pregnancy may be a risk factor for contracting H1N1 swine flu, which has reached pandemic levels. According to the CDC, there have been 20 recent H1N1 infections in pregnant women in the United States (15 probably cases and five confirmed cases). Of those, three women were hospitalized and one died. A woman’s immune system is somewhat weaker during pregnancy. That means those who become infected with flu are more likely to develop serious complications, like pneumonia.

The medications Tamiflu and Relenza are relatively safe for use in pregnant and breast-feeding women, according to an analysis from the top research group in the world on pregnancy and toxic exposures.

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