What Pregnant Women Need To Know About Swine Flu - Risks, Statistics, Prevention and Vaccination

This was sent to my email and I would like to share this to everyone especially to all pregnant women.

A pregnant woman who suspects that she might have swine flu should call or see her doctor immediately. In fact the CDC even advises that pregnant women should call their doctor if they've been in close contact with anyone who has swine flu.

Facts about Swine Flu in Pregnant Women

• Up until mid-October 2009, 6% of swine flu related deaths in the US have been in pregnant women.
• Pregnant women have also been hospitalized more as a result of swine flu compared to the general population.
• Pregnant women given seasonal flu shots in a recent study passed the positive effects of immunization to their unborn child, significantly reducing flu sickness in babies younger than 6 months.
• The new H1N1 vaccine for pregnant women is currently undergoing trials to determine its safety. So far flu shots have not been deemed harmful for pregnant women.

Why are Pregnant Women at Higher Risk from Swine Flu?

Pregnant women are a high-risk group for swine flu complications because the illness may cause complications such as pneumonia and premature labor. A woman's immune system may be somewhat weakened during pregnancy, making her more susceptible to illness in general. And anything that causes a pregnant woman distress may ultimately cause fetal distress as well.

How Can Pregnant Women Prevent Getting Swine Flu?

The precautions for pregnant women are the same as for the rest of the population. The top things to do for prevention are:

• Regularly and thoroughly wash hands
• Avoid contact with people infected with swine flu
• Get a flu shot

Are Swine Flu Vaccinations Safe for Pregnant Women?

The first step in swine flu prevention is protection. Pregnant women can significantly reduce their chances of contracting swine flu by getting an annual flu shot. Flu shots for the current strain of the H1N1 flu virus are expected to be available by October 2009 for the flu season lasting through February 2010.

Pregnant women should consult with their doctor to schedule a flu shot as soon as one becomes available in their region. The CDC advises pregnant women to get two vaccinations: a seasonal flu shot combined with the H1N1 (swine flu causing) flu shot. Taken together they are more effective in protecting pregnant women and their fetus from flu-like illness. Both flu shots are regarded as safe for pregnant women to take.

What Should Pregnant Women Do if They Have Swine Flu?

The best course of action for an infected pregnant woman is to stay at home, avoid infecting others, and call or see her doctor right away. The doctor will most likely put her on anti-viral medication such as Tamiflu or Relenza. If she has a fever, she can take acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol). A typical course of anti-viral medication runs for 5 days and can be taken anytime during pregnancy. It has not shown to have any harmful effects on the growing fetus.

Here is a Swine Flu Update: Makes sense to keep in mind.

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Swine flu virus

As you have seen on television for the past few days, swine flu outbreak has been phenomenon. It is aired everyday and talked by many individuals. Some are scared and worried of the effect. Some are concern especially to their kids. But what really a swine flu is and it's effect to out body and how to avoid it. Swine flu is a highly contagious form of human influenza caused by a filterable virus identical or related to a virus formerly isolated from infected swine. It's symptoms are like regular flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Those symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions, and that means that you and your doctor can't know, just based on your symptoms, if you've got swine flu. It takes a lab test to tell whether it's swine flu or some other condition. To avoid it, a swine flu kits is now available in the market for protection. Hurry buy now and protect your loved once from this virus.