What you need to know about H1N1 (“Swine”) Flu and Pregnancy
Cases of H1N1 flu have already been widely reported throughout the Bay Area. We have been advised by the County Health Department to currently assume that any patient who has flu like symptoms before October has the H1N1 flu. In Santa Clara county 1/3 of the reported patients infected with H1N1 flu have been pregnant. In the US, 6% of deaths have been pregnant women whereas only 1% of the population is pregnant
Every flu season, some people who get infected with the flu will develop complications. The H1N1 flu is no different. Pregnant women (particularly those in the third trimester) are at very high risk of complications, such as severe pneumonia, respiratory distress or preterm labor.
Now that school is starting, the number of flu cases is expected to increase. Here’s what to do if you think you might have the flu/have been exposed to someone with the flu.
Symptoms of H1N1 flu (like symptoms of seasonal influenza) include the following:
Fever, Cough, Sore throat, Runny or Stuffy nose, Body aches, Headaches, Chills and Fatigue; sometimes Diarrhea and Vomiting
If you have symptoms of the flu, please call our office so we can discuss starting you on a prescription medication (Tamiflu®) to take twice a day for 5 days. To reduce your risk of complications from the flu, it is important that you start this medication within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. This medicine is considered safe to use at any time during pregnancy.
Treat fever right away. Use Tylenol® 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours (maximum dose of 4000 mg/day) if your temperature is >99.5. Also drink plenty of fluids.
Emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Decreased or no movement of your baby
• A high fever that is not responding to Tylenol®
If you’ve been exposed to the flu, please call our office. If you are pregnant, we will likely start you on Tamiflu® — once a day for 10 days to decrease your chances of getting the flu.
How you can decrease your risk of getting the flu:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based gel hand cleaner
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
Have a plan in place to care for a family member who develops flu-like symptoms. If possible, arrange for someone else to care for that person.
Instruct friends, family members, and acquaintances who are sick to stay home and away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. (“Staying at home” means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.)
H1N1 Flu Vaccine
We anticipate that a vaccine for the H1N1 flu will be available in October. We recommend that all pregnant patients get vaccinated as soon as it’s available. It is safe to get immunized at any time during pregnancy.
Seasonal Flu Vaccine
As we do every flu season, we recommend that all pregnant patients get the regular seasonal flu vaccine. It is now available and we encourage you to get immunized at your next prenatal visit. It is safe to get immunized at any time during pregnancy.
For additional information, we recommend you visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website which is regularly updated: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm
Tags: flu vaccine, H1N1 flu, pregnancy, Santa Clara County, Swine flu