Have you shaken hands with someone lately? Taken a flight? Heard someone near you cough? You’ve probably thought, That person may have H1N1.
The 2009 H1N1 flu has everyone on germ watch. But for pregnant women, the alarm is justified – they’re unusually susceptible to the virus. About 70% of people who have died from the 2009 H1N1 flu have been considered “high risk.” Included in this high-risk group are pregnant women.
As of early October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 28 pregnant women had died from 2009 H1N1 flu complications.
Why are pregnant women at higher risk for contracting the virus? Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, explains:
“A woman’s immune system changes during pregnancy to prevent an immune reaction against the fetus and the risk of infections can be greater [as a result]….The other reason is mechanical. As the womb gets larger, with the baby growing, there can be pressing on the airways and a restrictive lung disease. So it’s harder to take a deep breath, and it’s harder to fight off a lung infection, especially in the later stages of pregnancy.”
So the big question is, should pregnant women get vaccinated against H1N1?
