Advice for Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, the immunity is naturally suppressed. Pregnant women are therefore more likely to get infected with Swine Flu. If they do catch Swine Flu, they are more likely to have complications. Even so, it is important to remember that the risk of infection is still very small and most pregnant women will only have mild symptoms.

Complications of swine flu include

• Pneumonia (an infection of the lungs)
• Difficulty breathing
• Dehydration.

These complications are more likely to happen in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Even though the risk of complications is small, it is important to take precautionary measures.

Precautions to be taken

• Maintain good personal hygiene.
• In pregnancy, reduce the chances of infection by avoiding unnecessary travel and going to crowded places.
• If a family member or a close contact has swine flu, get in touch with your doctor for special precautions that you should be taking.



• If you think you have swine flu, see your doctor immediately. If he confirms swine flu, take the antiviral medication prescribed, as soon as possible.
• And last but not the least, attend your antenatal appointments regularly for an assessment of your health and to monitor the progress of your pregnancy. Also, any medication taken during pregnancy should be with doctor’s advice to be sure it is safe to take during pregnancy.