While most pregnant women with swine flu will only have mild symptoms, there is a higher risk of complications. If you are pregnant and think you may have swine flu, or have a sick child under one year old, call your GP - do not use the new National Pandemic Flu Service.
The National Pandemic Flu Service
A National Pandemic Flu Service has been launched. This will free up GPs so they can focus their efforts on helping those in at risk groups and patients with other illnesses.
If any of the below apply, contact your GP directly - do not use the National Pandemic Flu Service.
§ you are pregnant
§ you have a sick child under one year old
§ your child has a serious underlying illness
§ your child's condition suddenly gets much worse
§ your child's condition is still getting worse after five days
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).
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. Typical symptoms are a fever and a cough, but you may also have:
The National Pandemic Flu Service
A National Pandemic Flu Service has been launched. This will free up GPs so they can focus their efforts on helping those in at risk groups and patients with other illnesses.
If any of the below apply, contact your GP directly - do not use the National Pandemic Flu Service.
§ you are pregnant
§ you have a sick child under one year old
§ your child has a serious underlying illness
§ your child's condition suddenly gets much worse
§ your child's condition is still getting worse after five days
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).
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. Typical symptoms are a fever and a cough, but you may also have:
- tiredness
- headache
- aching muscles
- runny nose
- sore throat
- nausea
- 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.
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.
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 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 (see box, left).
Unless you have swine flu symptoms, carry on attending your antenatal appointments to monitor the progress of your pregnancy.