Pregnant women infected with the new H1N1 swine flu have a much higher risk of severe illness and death and should receive prompt treatment with antiviral drugs, U.S. government researchers said on Wednesday.
While pregnant woman have always had a higher risk of severe disease from influenza in general, the new H1N1 virus is taking an exceptionally heavy toll, the researchers said.
"We do see a fourfold increase in hospitalization rates among ill pregnant women compared to the general population," Dr. Denise Jamieson of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a telephone interview.
Jamieson said pregnant women who suspect they have influenza should call their doctors promptly. The CDC recommends pregnant women with influenza get antiviral drugs as soon as possible, within the first 48 hours to be most effective.
Dr. Keiji Fukuda of the World Health Organization said WHO has not yet decided on its policy on the use of antivirals for pregnant women with H1N1.
Jamieson said pregnant women need to be aware of the risks if they become ill, but they do not need to change the way they live because of the new H1N1 flu.
"We do not have evidence that pregnant women have increased susceptibility or are more likely to acquire influenza," Jamieson said.
"It's just that when they have influenza they are at increased risk of having severe disease," she said.
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