Flu advice for pregnant women

Pregnant women have been urged to consider "self-quarantining" after international reports of severe complications from swine flu.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that up to six new mothers were seriously ill after giving birth prematurely because the virus was threatening the lives of their babies.

Dr Ted Weaver, president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said that while the risk was small, pregnant women should take simple steps to avoid catching the disease.

"Pregnant women should be quite scrupulous with their hand hygiene ... If they don't have to go out and do things in the community, maybe they shouldn't. If they do have to, maybe they should wear a mask," he said.

"They should in some ways consider self-quarantining."

It is thought pregnancy makes women more vulnerable to all types of influenza because of immune system and other changes. Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Darren Hunt said unborn babies might also be at increased risk from the mother's response to infection, such as a high temperature.

Two babies of the Sydney women were reported to be in intensive care with their mothers.

Dr Weaver stressed that most pregnant women who had become severely ill internationally had other health problems, such as diabetes, asthma or heavy smoking. "If a woman does become sick with swine flu she could expect to make a full recovery without affecting her or her baby," he said.

Waikato Hospital obstetrician Dr Alastair Haslam said his hospital had seen some probable cases of swine flu in pregnant women but no major complications.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed deaths in New Zealand from swine flu has risen to 10 with the death of a Tairawhiti man in his 40s.

The man had serious underlying health problems.

There are no figures available on the number of pregnant women in hospital with swine flu in New Zealand.

Public health doctor Nick Wilson said flu epidemics in 1918 and 1957 were noted for the higher mortality risk among pregnant women.

They are among the groups that have preferential access to Tamiflu in New Zealand, although health authorities say they should not take it without seeing a doctor.

Dr Hunt said pregnant women with influenza symptoms should call their GP or Healthline.

They should take extra care with hand washing and stay away from crowded places.

"Pregnant women are ... at greater risk of complications from the swine flu, including pneumonia, and need to be particularly watchful for signs and symptoms of the virus," he said.

Dr Weaver said that if a pregnant women gets a disease, "there is always a risk that she, as part of management of the disease, will have to be delivered early ... The baby could be affected by the prematurity or could be quite sick with a flu-like illness."