The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, has remarked in a recent speech on risk of infection of the H1N1 virus during pregnancy, due to an increased chance of complications since pregnant women are more vulnerable to infections.
It is the case that the first death of swine flu in Europe was that of a 38-year-old woman who had recently given birth. The patient was hospitalized with swine flu in a hospital in Scotland and gave birth at the beginning of the month to a premature baby, who also died, although not due to causes related to the virus.
However, experts remember that despite the increase in cases of swine flu in the world that have led to declare level 6 alert (pandemic), and the risks of infection to pregnant women, H1N1 remains a virus that causes mild or moderate symptoms to which most people recover in a few days.
For pregnant women there are complications such as fever associated with the disease, which could lead to premature delivery. That is why in the United States, as in the United Kingdom and other countries, it is recommended to offer pregnant women the seasonal flu vaccine.
And the British health authorities have already reported that when the swine flu vaccine is ready in the coming months, one of the first risk groups to be offered will be to pregnant women.
For now, specific cases would be treated individually with the means that specialists consider appropriate and compatible with pregnancy.
At the moment, the possibility of contagion is still remote, and it seems that in the northern hemisphere it is more difficult for cases to increase in the coming months; we will have to be more alert in the southern hemisphere, where the flu season begins.
Meanwhile, we will have to follow the same preventive measures We commented when talking about the risk of influenza in children, other vulnerable groups. Above all, to prevent family members, acquaintances and friends who have been in Mexico or the United States showing symptoms from approaching us and our children and recommending them to go to the health center or call the telephone number that each autonomous community establishes for it or the telephone numbers emergency (061 or 112).
