Risks of Swine Flu and Pregnancy

Since your immune system is weak during pregnancy and you are more susceptible to any type of flu and other illnesses, the risk of swine flu also increases. Not only is the risk of swine flu infection more during pregnancy, the resultant complications are also likely to get severe. In particular pneumonia or foetal distress can be very dangerous for the expecting mother and the baby.

Going by statistics, pregnant women infected with swine flu virus are more likely to develop a severe case than other people. Not to say that they are sure to be more affected. More hospitalisations have been reported of pregnant women as a result of swine flu compared with other people affected by the disease. A general estimate of the percentage of people pregnant in a population is 1 percent. But when it comes to hospitalisations due to swine flu, 6 percent are pregnant women.

It is important for moms-to-be to recognise the symptoms of swine flu and also the emergency warning signs. It becomes important in her condition even though severe complications of swine flu may not be experienced.

Symptoms of swine flu are –

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose
• Cough
• Body aches
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Possibility of diarrhoea with vomiting

The most common of these symptoms that generally occur together are fever, cough and sore throat.

Risk of Swine Flu - Emergency Warning Signs

Swine flu can get severe soon. Besides, you become more prone to have severe complications such as pneumonia. To counter this, you need to be vigilant about some emergency warning signs and get medical help as soon as you notice:

• Difficulty in breathing, short irregular breaths.
• Coloured or blood laden sputum.
• Yourself turning blue.
• Pain or heaviness in the chest or abdomen.
• Severe or persistent vomiting.
• Abrupt dizziness and confusion.
• Your baby’s movement has ceased.
• High fever not responding to acetaminophen.

You should be immediately rushed to a hospital or at least a doctor’s clinic to get yourself diagnosed. Or better still, stay at home and call your doctor. The doctor can decide whether a test for swine flu is necessary or not. The recommended medicine for treatment of swine flu affected pregnant woman is acetaminophen. Apart from that, advice for treatment would include taking plenty of liquids, complete rest and drugs that are safe for you and your baby.