Swine Flu - advice for Pregnant Women & women trying to conceive

Article by Laura Lee Davies can be found on Think Baby

As the swine flu pandemic continues to take hold in the UK, the government have opted to re-issue best medical advice to those groups which are currently identified as most at risk from suffering badly or even dying from the illness.

Swine flu risk in pregnancy<
In pregnancy, if you do contract swine flu you will most likely only experience the mild symptoms and be laid low for a few days. However, the risk is with any case, that more serious complications can develop.

During pregnancy your immune system is slightly suppressed (so that you do not have an excessive immune reaction to the baby you are carrying), however the main danger is not that you are more likely to catch swine flu than another person, but that you might get more ill than someone else would. That does not automatically mean you would get dangerous complications but that you might experience a heavier dose of the flu's symptoms than another person of your age might. This seems to be especially true in the second and third trimesters. If someone you have been in close contact with already has swine flu, talk to your doctor, who might prescribe a preventative medicine for you.

Most people who have caught swine flu so far have only suffered mild flu-like symptoms and been able to cope with the illness with over the counter medication and rest at home. However, some of those who have developed serious complications (linked to respiratory problems, for example) have died.

Renewed UK advice on swine flu the Department for Health has information on its website that is useful for the whole family to read, but is of particular interest to those groups currently deemed to be most 'at risk', which include children under five years of age, and women in the late stages of pregnancy. To read this advice, go to www.dh.gov.uk

I'm pregnant and I think I've got swine flu, what now?

The symptoms of swine flu are usually similar to those of regular human seasonal flu: fever and a cough, tiredness, headache, aching muscles, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or diarrhoea.

Pregnant women who are diagosed with swine flu can be given an antiviral drug called Relenza. This is taken through an inhaler rather than a tablet which means it builds up in your throat and lungs rather than in your blood, therefore it should not affect your baby because the fetus is nourished via your blood and the placenta.

NOTE: Relenza, and another swine flu medication called Tamiflu, are safe to take if you are breastfeeding.

If you do think you have swine flu or it is confirmed, do not mix with other people to avoid further spread, but ask your partner or a friend to help get you medication and any food shopping you need. In most cases the patient recovers within a week.

Different pregnancy and medical bodies have been offering conflicting advice about what pregnant women should do. This can be a real worry for any woman expecting a baby. However, there are a few things which can help you:

• If you need to travel on busy trains or buses, make sure you wash your hands with soap and hot water whenever you complete your journey (when you get to work and when you get home in the evening, for example). Avoid eating whilst on a train or bus until you have been able to wash your hands, and avoid touching your face until you have had a chance to wash your hands.
• If possible, carry a small bottle of antibacterial lotion around with you - the kind you can buy in any chemist. This means you can clean your hands even when there isn't a bathroom handy.
• As with any woman in pregnancy even without a problem like swine flu around, be wise about how you interact with crowds. You don't have to avoid parties or other big events per se, but take the option where possible to stick to seating areas rather than crowded standing sections. When you come away from a crowded area, wash your hands and face.
• If you start to feel unwell, don't panic but contact your GP or midwife team as soon as you can. From later this week there will be additional local and on-call support via the NHS, but in the meantime make your own GP your main contact for advice.
• Don't get too paranoid - if you are a healthy person most of the time, your body should still be equipped to fight anything it comes across. Continue to look after yourself as you should do anyway - eating well, not dashing about too much, and trying to be as generally fit and healthy as you can.

Trying for a baby

There have been reports that some bodies are suggesting women shouldn't try for a baby at the moment. Bear in mind that swine flu isn't going to go away anytime soon. If you are a very wary person then it's your free choice, but bear in mind that there have been many other illnesses and wars around the world through the centuries, and life did go on. What woman has ever avoided pregnancy because she was scared of being in a road accident? And road accidents are pretty common.

If the problem gets intensely worse either here or abroad, there may be different advice at a later date, but don't let worry stop you from making a major life choice.The NHS website has a page of useful information specifically for pregnant women - NHS