H1N1 And Pregnancy

It's been a long 9 months.....and Maria Marcano is anxious about Monday's delivery of her first born son.

“Were you worried about it all summer? Yes."

Thrilled.....but also cautious.....she's been incredibly careful since fears of the swine flu erupted this year.

"I know for a woman pregnant is more susceptible to more diseases."

And possibly more likely to die from some according to a report out today, a study out by the British Medical journal the Lancet showed pregnant women who get the swine flu are four times as likely to be hospitalized as others with the virus.

"Their body is protected in an immune standpoint to protect the pregnancy but not necessarily to help the mom fight infection."

Dr. Leigh Matlaga, an OB-GYN for Franklin Square Hospital says she's worried what the fall flu season will bring with H1N1...and she's warning her patients to be careful.

"My biggest concern is that people will disregard the risk of the flu in favor of the pregnancy and as concerned as we are about healthy pregnancies we are concerned about people passing away from the flu."

While researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine gear up for the vaccine trials next month....Dr. Matlag says until we have one....pregnant women will have to rely on tamiflu.

"Everyone is concerned about the medications that they take during pregnancy but the benefits by far outweigh the risks. There is no proven fetal abnormality, or malformation associated with this."

If necessary.....Maria says she would take the antiviral drug used to treat influenza...however she's also taking precautions of her own.

"It's important for me to stay away from people with flu. Also avoid going to the mall, or open places and also wash your hands frequently."