What Pregnant Women Should Know About H1N1 (Swine Flu) Virus
What if I get Swine Flu and I am pregnant?
At this point it is unknown if being pregnant puts you at greater risk of contracting Swine Flu or not. It is also unknown if your baby is likely to catch the flu if the mother does.
However, pregnant women are more likely to catch a variety of illnesses. They seem to have a higher incidence of yearly flu and these illnesses can lead to complications in the pregnancy. So any potential illness should be taken seriously.
What can I do to protect myself, my baby and my family?
Take these everyday steps to help prevent the spread of germs and protect your health:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based gel hand cleaners are also good to use.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people. (If you are pregnant and you live or have close contact with someone who has H1N1 flu, talk to your doctor about medicines to prevent flu.)
- Have a plan to care for sick family members.
- Stock up on household, health, and emergency supplies, such as water, Tylenol®, non-perishable foods.
Wash your hands often.
Frequent hand washing will help to prevent the spread of disease. If you can not use soap and water carry an alcohol based gel cleaner. When out in a public area after touching things like shopping carts and hand rails, always wash your hands before touching your face in any way.
Washing with soap and water
- Use warm water.
- Wash for 30 to 45 seconds.
Using alcohol-based gel hand cleaner
- Don’t add water.
- Rub the gel on your hands until dry.
What are the symptoms of H1N1?
Symptoms are like seasonal flu and include the following:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Chills and fatigue
- Sometimes, diarrhea and vomiting
What should I do if I get sick?
- If there is H1N1 flu in your community pay extra attention to your body and how you are feeling.
- If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home, limit contact with others, and call your doctor. Your doctor will decide if testing or treatment is needed. Tests may include a nasal swab which is best to do within the first 4-5 days of getting sick. Like regular flu, H1N1 flu may make other medical problems worse.
- If you are alone at any time, have someone check in with you often if you are feeling ill. This is always a good idea.
- If you have close contact with someone who has H1N1 flu or is being treated for exposure to H1N1 flu, contact your doctor to discuss whether you need treatment to reduce your chances of getting the flu.
How is H1N1(Swine) Flu treated?
- Treat any fever right away. Tylenol® (acetaminophen) is the best treatment of fever in pregnancy.
- Drink plenty of fluids to replace those you lose when you are sick.
- Your doctor will decide if you need antiviral drugs. Antiviral drugs are prescription pills, liquids or inhalers that fight against the flu by keeping the germs from growing in your body. These medicines can make you feel better faster and make your symptoms milder.
- These medicines work best when started soon after symptoms begin (within two [2] days), but they may also be given to very sick or high risk people (like pregnant women) even after 48 hours. Antiviral treatment is taken for 5 days.
- There is little information about the effect of antiviral drugs in pregnant women or their babies, but no serious side effects have been reported. If you do think you have had a side effect to antiviral drugs, call your doctor right away.
When should I get emergency medical care?
If you have any of these signs, seek emergency medical care right away:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Decreased or no movement of your baby
- A high fever that is not responding to Tylenol®
How should I feed my baby?
If at all possible you should always breast feed your infant baby. Breast milk contains many antibodies that protect infants from illness and help to build up their immune system. Breast fed babies generally do not get as sick as infants that are not breast fed.
Flu is very serious in young babies and should be treated quickly.
Is it ok to breastfeed my baby if I am sick?
If possible you should continue to feed your baby breast milk. If you have anyone available it is best to express the milk and have someone else feed your baby with a bottle.
If you have no one that can help you to feed your baby, the following steps will help to protect your infant.
- A mother’s milk is made to fight diseases in her baby. This is really important in young babies when their immune system is still growing.
- Do not stop breastfeeding if you are ill. Breastfeed early and often. Limit formula feeds if you can. This will help protect your baby from infection.
- Be careful not to cough or sneeze in the baby’s face; wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Your doctor might ask you to wear a mask to keep from spreading this new virus to your baby.
Is it OK to take medicine to treat or prevent H1N1 flu while breastfeeding?
Yes. Mothers who are breastfeeding can continue to nurse their babies while being treated for the flu.
