Pregnant women need to protect against swine flu
It is important to counsel pregnant woman and make them aware of the precautionary measures that they can take to prevent contracting swine flu. Precautionary measures include staying away from persons suffering from influenza and avoiding crowded places.
Of the 300 people who tested positive for swine flu this year, 35 have been pregnant women who required serious medical management for mother and the child to be saved. Five pregnant women have died of swine flu in Telangana in this year.
Dr Geeta Naidu, a senior gynaecologist, says, “Pregnant women have to be sensitised about the precautionary steps that they must take during flu season. With H1N1 being a human-to-human transmitted pathogen, pregnant women have to be careful not to come in close contact with anyone suffering from influenza; crowded places such as markets and congregations must be avoided.”
Such counselling is important during the flu season. Dr Pramod Kumar, a senior chest physician, says, “People who suffer from H1N1 infections are considered potentially contagious from one day before the onset of symptoms. The potency of contagiousness remains for up to seven days after the illness. Children may remain contagious for a longer period, up to 10 to 12 days after the illness. Pregnant women are already immune-compromised and are hence more vulnerable to swine flu. The effect of the disease on them is so strong that if not treated and controlled in time, it can prove to be fatal.”
The complications that may arise in pregnant women suffering from swine flu include respiratory failures, seizures and multi-organ failure. Experts state that the symptoms of influenza are categorised on the basis of severity. Patients with symptoms in category A are prescribed rest and medication at home; those with symptoms in the category B require isolation, hospitalisation and a full-blown treatment; and those with symptoms in category C require aggressive medical management as they may experience severe chest pain and breathlessness.