Pregnant women who contract the H1N1 flu strain are at risk of developing obstetrical complications, including foetal distress, premature delivery, emergency Caesarean delivery and foetal death, according to a new report. It followed a study in which researchers analysed data from 18 patients admitted to two urban academic medical centres with a diagnosis of H1N1 from May 18-June 24, 2009.
The results were then compared with published reports of the H1N1 outbreak and reports of flu pandemics of 1918 and 1957.
All patients were treated with oseltamivir phosphate on admission. Three of the 18 were admitted to intensive care and seven delivered during their hospital stay – six prematurely. Of these six, five involved foetal distress and four were delivered via emergency Caesarean delivery. Two foetal deaths were recorded: no maternal deaths were reported.
“Little data are available regarding foetal outcomes and mortality rates among H1N1-infected mothers. Of the 18 patients in this series, one had a spontaneous abortion and one died post-natally from complications of extreme prematurity and sepsis,” the authors reported.
They conclude that the H1N1 virus poses a serious health threat to pregnant patients. They add that foetal distress necessitating emergency Caesarean delivery may result in significant illness; however, this study showed an absence of maternal deaths as compared to prior study results.
Archives of Internal Medicine 2010;170:868-873
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