Hello, Carrie and I are here at Whitehall in the corridors of power. Andy will be with us imminently (we hope), so we thought we'd recap the swine flu questions as that is the most pressing subject du jour. We'll get going as soon as he comes through the door.
LeninGrad: It'd be really helpful if we could get some clarity on if/how/why they think this strain may be disproportionally affecting pregnant women.
Essentially, I think we need to know what other health conditions, if any, the pregnant women in intensive care or who died may have or have had, what actual complication it is that they are having (pneumonia?) and what, if anything, we can do to recognise deterioration in order to act quickly (if that helps).
And
Could Mr Burnham tell us the proportion of pregnant women who contracted swine flu that have been ok? We've heard how many pregnant women have died but not how many pregnant women contracted it that only had mild symptoms and were ok.
I'd like to see more info on Relenza as a prophylactic, not sure that message is getting through.
Also, some info on numbers of pregnant women hospitalised with complications from seasonal flu would be helpful too, along with outcomes of course.
Finally, is it thought that this strain can cross the placenta and what are the implications of that, if so?
It seems to me either the media is being a bit irresponsible in its reporting, or the govt isn't doing enough to explain the risks or issues, or possibly a bit of both.
Grendle: I would like to know what he thinks of the RCOG/RCM guidelines on swine flu and pregnancy. In particular, as access to homebirths can be so variable anyway, will their advice that if services are stretched generally then homebirth services may be cancelled be used as an excuse to deny women the choices they want in birthing? What will be done to ensure this isn't the case?
Also, if services get really stretched due to staff illness, how will they make sure that breastfeeding and other postnatal needs are fully supported? Particularly, if as RCOG/RCM suggest, women may be encouraged out of hospital faster and not receive postnatal home visits from midwives. Will all hospitals be actively promoting referrals to the voluntary breastfeeding helplines as a backup?
Please could more information about Relenza and any flu vaccine and pregnancy be provided in order that pregnant women can make informed decisions about whether or not to take up these options. Simply saying 'this is what we recommend, there's no evidence of harm' isn't really reassuring enough, nor enough info on which to make a judgement. Pregnant women are not sheep smile.
Stigaloid: I am quite nervous about swine flu as am pregnant and have a two year old. Will vaccines be available to us and if so when? How do we know that vaccinnes won't hurt my unborn baby?
How many of the pregnant women who have died did not have underlying health problems?
kathyis6incheshigh: Are there figures available on how many pregnant women with swine flu have miscarried?
TallulahToo: Swine flu not only a particular hazard to pregnant mums but also to the under 5s. Why then does the government not advocate closing of school nurseries when a case is found?
BoffinMum: Why is nobody giving advice about breastfeeding?
FiveGoMadInDorset: On Breakfast yesterday morning (Monday) you were asked how many people had died didn't have underlying health issues. You dodged the question saying that you would answer it in your statement to the house of commons in the afternoon, which I listened to and you didn't.
So how many who have died have no underlying health conditions as I feel that we the public, the people who elected you, have a right to know how seriously we should be taking this.
LoveBeingAMummy: At what point would movement be restricted due to swine flu? Also what is being done about the ongoing issues with maternity services, the lack of midwifes, the terrible hospital services, no resources to support everyone who wants a home birth, poor support for breastfeeding etc. Thanks.
atlantis: Are Mr Burnham's children going to be vaccinated in the first 'untested' wave to come from the manufacturer, or is he going to wait until the vaccine has been proven before allowing his children to have the shots?