Swine Flu Hits Pregnant Women Harder
By Deborah Kotz
As a government panel decides who should be among the first to get the swine flu vaccine, many experts are calling for pregnant women to step to the front of the line.
That's because new research shows pregnant women who get swine flu are more likely to develop severe complications that result in hospitalization or even death, according to a study published today in the journal Lancet.
"We hope that pregnant women are placed in the high-priority group for vaccinations because our research shows that they're
disproportionately represented among the deaths" in this country caused by the H1N1 virus, says study leader
Of the 45 deaths from swine flu reported in the study, which collected data from April to May, six were pregnant women; that group represented 13 percent of the deaths.
That's far higher than expected, since pregnant women make up only 1 percent of the population.
What's more, those women who died were young and healthy and had low-risk pregnancies.
Jamieson adds that since the data were collected, there have been 302 swine deaths in the U.S. population, and 15 were pregnant women, representing 6 percent of the deaths.
Though that is a lower percentage, the numbers still suggest that pregnant women are more prone to dangerous infections.
The exact reasons for the increased susceptibility aren't known, but Jamieson says it could involve the decreased lung capacity that occurs during pregnancy, which makes it easier for the virus to multiply in the lungs. Or it could be because pregnancy weakens certain components of the immune system. (It strengthens others.)
There were certain similarities among the pregnant women who died.
They all developed pneumonia and went into acute respiratory distress. None of them were treated with antiviral drugs like Tamiflu within the first 48 hours after they developed symptoms; in fact, by the time they were treated they had been sick for at least six days and as long as 15 days.
"All pregnant women who died did not receive antivirals soon enough to benefit their treatment," the CDC said in a prepared statement that accompanied the study.
The agency now recommends that pregnant women who have flu symptoms should immediately be treated with the drugs, preferably in the first two days, to lower the severity and duration of the infection.
Jamieson says she'd like to see more diagnostic flu tests performed by OB-GYNs on pregnant women who develop fevers, sore throats, and other possible flu symptoms.
"There's limited access to these tests right now, but I do think more emphasis needs to be put on testing pregnant women" to ensure that they're treated promptly and properly, she explains. She also says that doctors need to do a better job of getting pregnant women vaccinated against the flu since seasonal flu is also associated with more severe complications -- like heart and lung problems -- during pregnancy. Fewer than 15 percent of pregnant women get a regular flu vaccine, even though the CDC started recommending it in 2004.
What about concerns over the mercury preservative thimerosal, which is present in most flu vaccines?
Pregnant women are told to avoid foods high in mercury because of its potentially detrimental effects on a fetus's brain.
"It does seem reasonable that doctors should stock and provide a thimerosal-free vaccine to their pregnant patients," says Jamieson.
Such vaccines are currently available for seasonal flu and will also be available for the H1N1 vaccine. Frequent hand washing is another good precaution pregnant women can take, but Jamieson says there's no reason to avoid crowded places or public transportation, as the British government has recommended.
Swine Flu: 14 Things You Need to Know to Keep Yourself Safe
Nancy Shute
The Swine Flu outbreak could peter out, like a 1976 swine flu outbreak did. Or the virus could spread easily from one person to the next, sparking a pandemic in which millions of people are infected. Here's the rundown on what we know so far, as well as the options for avoiding swine flu and for treating it if you get it.
Swine Flu: Pregnant Women will be Included in H1N1 Flu Vaccine Trials
Deborah Kotz
As predicted, pregnant women are, indeed, on the government's list of the first folks to be vaccinated against the H1N1 swine flu virus. The panel of experts convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that the new vaccine be provided first to pregnant women and adults with compromised immune systems, who face a greater risk of complications, and others, like children and health-care workers.
Dealing with the Swine Flu Threat During Pregnancy
Deborah Kotz
The worldwide death toll from swine flu is now at 700, according to the World Health Organization. And the U.S. government is gearing up for a mass vaccination campaign this fall, one not seen since the polio vaccine first became available in the 1950s. An H1N1 vaccine is still being tested for safety and efficacy. When it becomes available later this fall, should pregnant women be among the first to get it, or the last?
Think You Have Swine Flu? What to Do
By Deborah Kotz
It's OK to go about your life as usual even in the face of this flu "pandemic". But you should be aware of the telltale signs of H1N1: fever, cough, sore throat, stomach cramps, diarrhea, fatigue, and muscle aches.
Shot at Universal Flu Vaccine: Protection from swine flu, bird flu & other viruses
By Nancy Shute
Wayne Marasco is no doubt the only Harvard medical researcher who abandoned a successful construction firm, Waymar Roofing and Siding, to become an immunologist. The man with the unorthodox history recently made a striking discovery: a human antibody that attacks a newfound vulnerability in flu viruses.
Who's Ready if Swine Flu Pandemic Comes Knocking
Andy Coghlan, Linda Geddes & Rachel Nowak, New Scientist Magazine
Doomsday visions of curfews, sealed borders, travel bans and scuffles over food are a long way from materializing in the current crisis regarding swine flu.
But if the World Health Organization declares a pandemic, countries could bring in draconian measures to isolate and treat infection, prevent further spread and keep societies functioning.
The question, then, is which countries are ready and prepared to handle a Swine Flu Pandemic.
(C) 2009 U.S. News & World Report