Swine flu and pregnant - what would you do?

[devotion]

I'm pregnant and the chances of getting swine flu are so high now that i am worried about what you can do when pregnant?

Plus do you have to have the tamiflu medication if you get it or can you just fight it yourself like normal flu?

Are children able to fight it, three people in my family just had a terrible bout of flu so how do you know the difference?

I maybe over reacting.

Thank you

bump

I know someone who's dd is pregnant and she has swine flu.

All they have done is give her an inhaler. Her mum said it is the drug normally given but in inhaler form, but I don't kow if this is 100% correct as her mum was understandably a bit flustered.

Other than that they told her to rest, keep fluid intake up and just ride it out.

Pregnancy is one of the conditions supposedly at higher risk for severe influenza, so need to see your GP if you become symptomatic. Don't panic though; it still might not be swine flu. GP may take a swab (still advised for high-risk groups) and send for testing whilst starting you on antiviral.

Recommended antiviral in pregnancy is zanamivir (trade name 'Relenza'). It's a powder which is inhaled, and therefore may not be suitable if you have reactive airway disease. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) better than nothing though.

Yes, children are able to fight it although if less than 3y old they should get oseltamivir.

You can't tell the difference between swine and seasonal flu: except there isn't much seasonal flu around that the moment and therefore an influenza-like illness (ILI) is more likely to be swine.

Dx for ILI
Fever >38C (or history of fever)
AND
at least two of:
cough
headache
sore throat
myalgia (muscle aches)
runny nose
diarrhoea/vomiting

You aren't over-reacting. But about 12% of pregnant women do get the flu anyway.

The treatment has changed today - in any case you don't get Tamiflu you get relenza but it's up to you if you take it. The important thing is to keep your temperature down with paracetamol (not ibuprofen obviously), rest and keep your fluids up. There will be a low threshold for hospital admissions if you are pregnant with swine flu apparently. W

The inhaled drug, AFAIK, is Relenza. Its ok in pregnancy, whereas Tamiflu isn't - or thats what I've understood, anyway.

If you get ill, devotion, I would ring (not visit) your GP straight away for advice - they may give you a prescription, as a precaution, I'm not sure.

And, congrats on your pregnancy, hope you stay well!

thank you!

i really dont like the idea of breathing something in. i'm a bit weird when it comes to taking medication and try to avoid it unless i really have to.

so do you have to take it or does it just shorten the lenghth of time you are ill.

i'm not worried about getting it right now just worried the strain changes and becomes more powerful.

just want to lock my family up now until next summer.

i am a music teacher and work with children who are at a greater risk of catching swine flu.

so i guess i can ask mothers not to being their children if they have any symptoms at all but i was thinking of making everyone use a hand gel as they enter too.

i am going to get it with my kind of work dealing with younger public... worrying about it alot.

You don't have to take it. It will hopefully reduce the length of time you are ill by a few days that's all.

Using a hand gel is a good plan - I run a recording studio and we've installed some because people playing piano etc do spread whatever crap (and it usually is crap) is on their hands to the next poor soul using it!

And don't get me started on microphone and pop shield!

eat very healthily to keep your immune system up. A raw carrot every day and plenty of watercress

whomovedmychocolate - yuck at the thought of dribbly microphones, some people practically eat them

kalo12 - thanks for tips, i forgot all about watercress. will get some, i'm eating raw carrots every day because with my ms i am piling on the pounds and eating helps so between crisps and stodge I am eating raw veg and fruit.

thank you

about 6000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with swine flu. That's out of a population of approximately 60 million people.

and out of the 6000 people that have had it here, only three have died, and all of those had underlying health problems.

Swine flu is currently no more dangerous than any other strain of flu. And no-one knows about whether the virus will or will not mutate, so that is an unknown at the moment.

I understand your fears as you are pregnant, but the reality is that nothing is certain, and the risks are actually still quite small.

So just enjoy your pregnancy, and if you are unlucky enough to catch swine flu, you can deal with it then.

HPA guidance here hopefully quite reassuring for you

I was wondering this today when my youngest came home announcing that someone in her class has swine flu. I decided that as I have no underlying health problems that I'm aware of, it shouldn't be too serious even if we all get it.

I'm assuming then that if one is ttc then the fact that there is swine flu around shouldn't make any difference - ie - there is no reason to give up trying until this coming winter (and the danger of infection) is over?

(I don't have a lot of time left to try to conceive so hoping this is the case)

Although now I've read that HPA guidance and the risk of raised temperature ... I am not sure

that wasn't my intention - I'm sorry.
I think that most people in pregnancy become ill at some point, without any problems to them or their babies. I posted the guidance to show that there was appropriate treatment and that those who need it, should seek it. I'm sorry if I caused you undue concern.

this is quite helpful - has some info I didn't know anyway

Please don't apologise OhYouBadKitten - it's a really useful link - and as has been mentioned, millions of pregnant women have 'ordinary' flu without any adverse effects so I'm probably over-reacting!

Sorry - not expressing myself very well

Not unduly worried as not pregnant yet! Just trying to find out more info ...

Thanks LeninG - that's really helpful.

Here's to a healthy, flu-free 7 weeks to you and your baby ...

and wishing Devotion and everyone else a healthy pregnancy

And yes, generally I was thinking along the same lines in terms of ttc ... So - will keep calm - and carry on!

Thank you wannaBe and everyone else.

My mother has been told today that she has probably got swine flu or had it. She has been ill for three weeks but slowly getting over it. For one week she had high fever, sore throat and other flu like symptoms. She developed a terrible cough which they have now decided maybe asthma that could have been triggered by the flu... they said that her gp is no longer testing for it and they are not giving out treatment and that it would not help her now as she seems to be getting over it.

the last time my children saw her was just before she became ill. she had them over at hers for the night and shared a bed with my oldest age 6.

so i am concerned now that they might get it but at least i know a bit more about it.

plus the gp does not know definitely that my mother does or did have swine flu.

but do you normally have flu going around at this time of the year?

plus my dad has cancer and he was ill about the same time as my mum but he has fully recovered when my mums cough and sore throat is still there although not as bad.

i really can not cope right now with my girls getting sick, this all day sickness i have has just sucked the life out of me.

fingers crossed!

The good news is that if she developed it 3 weeks ago and that was when your children last saw her, then your children would absolutely have developed it by now. It seems to be that adults are not contagious until they are exhibiting symptoms.
Its fairly unlikely to have been seasonal flu, comparitively speaking theres very little of that around.

The good news is, your Dad has come through without worrying anyone

Can I just say, without wanting to scaremonger, that people are completely right to be worried about flu and pg in general. I lost baby no 3 because of getting a bad dose of flu in 1999, and ended up on a ward with lots of other women in the same position. I would recommend anyone trying for a baby to have a flu jab - seasonal flu of any type can be a problem.