Pregnant women urged to have swine flu jab
Pregnant women were today urged to protect themselves and their unborn child by getting vaccinated against swine flu.
Senior medics moved to quell fears over the vaccination stating it would be more dangerous for expectant mothers to catch the deadly H1N1 virus than suffer any side affect.
Pregnant women are four times more likely to develop serious complications or be admitted to hospital if they contract the virus, particularly after 14 weeks, members of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists warned.
Dr Michael O’Connell, consultant obstetrician at the Coombe, said suffering high temperatures could result in early labour, severe pneumonia and even cause problems to the baby after birth.
“This disorder is serious enough that if you get the serious end of the spectrum this can potentially be fatal,” said Dr O’Connell.
“We’re not trying to scaremonger. This is to try to give advice on the best thing to do.
“And our feeling at this stage to prevent this is to take the vaccine.”
Eight people with swine flu have died in the Republic so far, with another 14 patients stricken with the H1N1 virus currently fighting for their lives in intensive care units.
Health chiefs have also revealed rates of flu-like sickness have soared to 158.8 per 100,000 of the population from 97.1 per 100,000 last week.
Dr O’Connell said it was important for women to be vaccinated as the virus peaks over the winter months.
A vaccination would pass immunity to the newborn baby for up to six months.
The medic revealed that of the 70,000 women who have a baby each year, about 21,000 could contract swine flu – with 10% of those needing to be admitted to hospital with severe illness.
But he stressed women with very mild disease could control it with fluids and paracetamol.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) recommended all pregnant women – from 14 weeks pregnant to six weeks after giving birth – and those with other medical conditions should be vaccinated.
Dr O’Connell stressed said two H1N1 vaccines licensed for use in Ireland - Pandemrix which is already on the market and Celvapan which will be available in the future – are both considered equally safe for use in pregnancy and in the six weeks after delivery.
“There hasn’t been any danger to the unborn child shown in any of these vaccines at any stage,” he added.
“In terms of saying no pregnant women will ever have any problem if they take a medication, I can’t.
“But the expert advice that’s out there would certainly suggest this is safe.”
