The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), funded this study of American pregnant women who had symptoms of the pandemic (H1N1) flu in 13 states between April and May, 2009—-the early stage of the outbreak.

The researchers found:

• Hospital admissions for pregnant women were higher than in the general population at risk—32% of pregnant women in the study group required hospital admission.
• Six deaths resulted in the 34 “confirmed or probable” cases of pandemic flu.
• All deaths resulted in women who developed pneumonia, followed by acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring that they be put on ventilators, a device which breathes mechanically for the patient to give the patient time to recover when possible. None did.

Their conclusion, based on this early, small study, found that the risk to pregnant women was high enough that they should be treated promptly with anti-viral drugs.

Pregnant women need to become familiar with the symptoms of H1N1, which has until now, seemed for most like a mild respiratory infection although some patients also reported vomiting and diarrhea.

Pregnant women should call their doctors immediately and report their symptoms. An anti-viral medication is recommended based on this study.

The question still to be answered in this pandemic is whether this strain will behave more like the 1918 version or the 1969 one?

Pneumonia and acute respiratory distress would seem to be more like the 1918 pandemic, the deadliest in nearly a century.

However, among public health experts and researchers, no one has evidence to conclude that we are an 1918 path rather than a 1969 one. That cannot be determined until what’s thought of as “round two” occurs and the pattern is clear.

The Lancet

…“From April 15 to May 18, 2009, 34 confirmed or probable cases of pandemic H1N1 in pregnant women were reported to CDC from 13 states. 11 (32%) women were admitted to hospital. The estimated rate of admission for pandemic H1N1 influenza virus infection in pregnant women during the first month of the outbreak was higher than it was in the general population (0·32 per 100 000 pregnant women, 95% CI 0·13—0·52 vs 0·076 per 100 000 population at risk, 95% CI 0·07—0·09). Between April 15 and June 16, 2009, six deaths in pregnant women were reported to the CDC; all were in women who had developed pneumonia and subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring mechanical ventilation.

“Pregnant women might be at increased risk for complications from pandemic H1N1 virus infection. These data lend support to the present recommendation to promptly treat pregnant women with H1N1 influenza virus infection with anti-influenza drugs.”

Citation: The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 29 July 2009 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61304-0