Many of my patients, friends and readers are worried about the latest flu, which is now being called H1N1 and not the swine flu. Ok, here's what you need to know, and this is directly from the CDC, Centers for Disease Control.
Are Pregnant women more susceptible to this flu?
They aren't any more susceptible to getting this flu, everyone has the same chance of being infected. However, pregnant women and young children ARE more likely to have severe symptoms that could progress to pneumonia.
If I had the Flu vaccine this season, does that protect me?
This is a great question, and the answer is that we don't think so. The flu vaccine that was developed wasn't designed to protect against this particular strain. So you still need to take precautions.
How can pregnant women keep themselves healthy?
It's the same advice for pregnant women as it is for everyone else: The 5 tips to staying safe
What if a pregnant woman has symptoms?
See a health care provider, ASAP, as her infection needs to be recognized early for prompt treatment. Here are the symptoms:
• Cough
• Fever
• Sore Throat
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Cough
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Or has been exposed to someone with a suspected or confirmed case of H1N1
Are there safe medications that can treat this in pregnancy?
The same medications that are recommended for anyone with H1N1 are also recommended for pregnant women. The key is early treatment within 48 hours of noticing symptoms.
I'm pregnant and concerned about the Swine Flu. What should I know?
