H1N1 may have severe effect on pregnant women

A recent study shows the H1N1 flu could pose an increased risk of severe illness to pregnant woman.

The study, initiated by the California Department of Health, followed 94 pregnant women, 8 postpartum, and 137 women that were not pregnant, all of which were hospitalized with H1N1 during a four month period in 2009.

One third of the pregnant women studied developed risk factors for complications from influenza.  Twenty-two percent of pregnant women required intensive care and eight percent died from the illness.

The most commonly reported symptoms among pregnant patients were cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and nausea or vomiting. Shortness of breath, muscle aches, and diarrhea were significantly more common among nonpregnant patients than among pregnant patients.

The study, which was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that “H1N1 influenza can cause severe illness and death in pregnant and postpartum women; regardless of the results of rapid antigen testing, prompt evaluation and antiviral treatment of influenza-like illness should be considered in such women.”