# 4292
From almost the start of the pandemic of 2009, it was apparent that pregnant women were at particularly high risk of complications from this virus.
That is something that has been seen in pandemics past, although it isn’t considered as much of a factor with seasonal flu.
In a Perspective, written by 3 CDC physicians (Sonja A. Rasmussen, Denise J. Jamieson, Joseph S. Bresee) and published in the CDC Journal of EID article, Pandemic Influenza and Pregnant Women in February of 2008, we get this assessment of the historic impact of influenza on pregnant women.
Although appropriate nonpregnant control groups were generally not available, mortality rates among pregnant women in the pandemics of 1918 and 1957 appeared to be abnormally high (5,7). Among 1,350 reported cases of influenza among pregnant women during the pandemic of 1918, the proportion of deaths was reported to be 27% (5).
Similarly, among a small case series of 86 pregnant women hospitalized in Chicago for influenza in 1918, 45% died (6). Among pregnancy-associated deaths in Minnesota during the 1957 pandemic, influenza was the leading cause of death, accounting for nearly 20% of deaths associated with pregnancy during the pandemic period; half of women of reproductive age who died were pregnant
Additionally, these authors write:
Associations between maternal influenza infection and childhood leukemia (23), schizophrenia (24), and Parkinson disease (25) have been suggested by some studies. Even if the influenza virus does not have a direct effect on the fetus, fever that often accompanies influenza infection could have adverse effects.
Today, with the approach of a new flu season women in Australia are being reminded of the dangers of the H1N1 influenza virus, and urged to get vaccinated against it.
The article below refers to an eMJA study I covered back in November in a blog entitled Australian Study: H1N1 Hospitalized Patients.
Pregnant women warned over swine flu
JULIA MEDEW
January 27, 2010
PREGNANT women are being warned to protect themselves against a second wave of swine flu expected in coming months after research confirmed they were more prone to serious illness compared with other healthy people.
The first major review of 112 people admitted to seven Melbourne hospitals with the virus last year found that 13 per cent of the patients were pregnant or had just given birth.
The research published in the Medical Journal of Australia also found that two patients had suffered rare complications of influenza including Guillain-Barre syndrome, a debilitating form of paralysis, and rhabdomyolysis, a muscle-melting condition.
Justin Denholm, a research fellow at the Royal Melbourne Hospital who worked on the project, said both conditions could be seen in people with seasonal flu, but were very rare.
The evidence thus far has supported the idea that the flu shot is safe and beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn children.
A few blogs on that include:
Hong Kong: No Increase In Fetal Death Among Vaccine Recipients
NEJM: Pregnancy and Postpartum Risks Of Novel H1N1 Infection
UK: DOH Urges Doctors To Reassure Pregnant Women About Vaccine
IDSA: Studies Show Flu Vaccine Benefits For Pregnant Women
