10 Things Pregnany Women Should Know About Swine Flu
We have heard nothing but swine flu this and swine flu that, not to mention all the fuss that's circulated the vaccine.
So here are ten things that pregnant women should know about swin flu.
Pregnant women are one of the first groups of people to be called for the vaccine as in pregnancy, the immune system is naturally suppressed, which means they are at higher risk of catching swine flu.
Most pregnant women who do catch the virus will only have mild symptoms and recover within a week. However, evidence suggests pregnant women are considerably more likely to develop serious complications from swine flu and to need hospital treatment.
Possible complications from swine flu are more likely to happen in the second and third trimester, and can include pneumonia, difficulty breathing and in the very worst cases, may even result in death.
The common side effects of the vaccine are a sore arm, fatigue, headache or dizziness. These symptoms are much milder than the flu itself and usually disappear in one or two days without treatment.
There is a small chance that complications from swine flu could lead to premature labour or miscarriage. There is not yet enough information to know precisely how likely these birth risks are, so it is therefore recommended for pregnant women to be vaccinated.
The vaccine uses an inactivated form of the virus so it can not make you sick. The vaccine will work by tricking the immune system into thinking it has been infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus so that it creates antibodies against it.
If a woman is about to give birth, having the swine flu vaccine could help avoid catching the disease and then passing it on to her baby.
The vaccine has been licensed for use in pregnant women by the European authorities and would not have been if it was considered unsafe. Pregnant women will be given the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, called Pandemrix, as a single dose gives adequate levels of antibodies and therefore more rapid protection than the Baxter version, Celvapan, which requires two doses at least three weeks apart.
You can only be certain that you have already had swine flu if it was confirmed by a laboratory test. Otherwise, you may have had normal flu or something else. There is no problem having the swine flu vaccination even if you have had swine flu already.
If you are pregnant, you will be contacted by your GP inviting you to go to an immunisation clinic or make an appointment at their surgery either by letter or in some instances by text or phone. If you do not hear from your GP you may wish to talk to your midwife.
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