Mothers-to-be 'may not get swine flu vaccine' amid baby health fears

Published on Sunday 19 July 2009 22:15

HEALTH officials have moved to allay fears over the impact of swine flu on pregnant women and young children, amid confusion over whether mothers-to-be would be vaccinated against the virus.

The advice about how expectant mothers can protect themselves aims to clarify current information following the death of a second woman who had recently given birth.

Last week, it emerged new mother 39-year-old Ruptara Miah died in Whipps Cross Hospital in London after contracting flu.

The first UK death from swine flu was Jacqueline Fleming from Glasgow, who died after giving birth prematurely.

The total number of deaths linked to swine flu is now 29 in the UK.

Although experts said the virus was mild in the majority of cases, NHS advice states that pregnant women are more susceptible to infections because their immune systems are suppressed.

Young children also appear to be at higher risk.

UK governments are expected to face a dilemma when it comes to deciding who will be vaccinated when doses become available later this year, amid conflicting advice on inoculating mothers-to-be.

Westminster public health minister Gillian Merron yesterday said: "The vaccine will be available and pregnant women are in the groups that we are looking to make the highest priority so we protect women still further."

But vaccinations are not usually recommended in pregnancy, according to the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the RCM, said: "With respect to inoculations, the decisions have not yet been made by the government as to which group of people will be first to receive vaccinations.

"However, we do not tend to vaccinate pregnant women against anything whilst they are pregnant because it does alter their body systems."

A spokeswoman for the UK Department of Health said no decisions had been made on who would be vaccinated first.

To combat the risk of infections, the reissued advice says pregnant women and young children should avoid crowds and unnecessary travel.

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) also sought to clarify previous suggestions that women should avoid becoming pregnant in the swine flu pandemic.

Chief executive Belinda Phipps said: "When you're expecting a baby, you take lots of things into consideration about when you want to conceive. You think about how old you are and how old your other children are.

"You think about a million things and one of the things that you might want to have at the back of your brain is the fact that there will be quite a bit of swine flu about in the autumn."

Yesterday also saw predictions that swine flu could cause the UK's ailing economy to contract by a mammoth 7.5 per cent this year and write off hopes of a recovery in 2010. The summer report from Ernst & Young's influential Item Club experts cautions that if the swine flu outbreak reaches the worse-case scenario, it could knock another 3 per cent off UK output.