If you or your partner have been pregnant before, you must have noticed how pregnancy makes the body more vulnerable to illnesses.

One of the common threats to pregnant women and their unborn children is influenza.

Hence, it is important to learn about this respiratory illness, how it can affect pregnant women, and ways to prevent it.

The perils of pregnancy

Pregnant women are at higher risk of getting sick than non-pregnant women of the same age.

This is because the immune system is naturally suppressed during pregnancy, thus increasing the risk of infections, including influenza.

Pregnant women are also more vulnerable to severe influenza due to changes in the immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy.

On top of that, influenza also poses hazards to the developing baby in the womb.

Here are some common symptoms of influenza in pregnant women:

Sudden onset of moderate to high fever

Chills

Dry cough

Runny nose

Nasal congestion

Sore throat

Headache

Muscle aches

Loss of appetite

Fatigue.

Get emergency medical attention if you experience any of these severe symptoms:

Fever or cough that comes and goes, or gets worse

High fever that doesn’t change after taking paracetamol

Decreased or no movement of your baby

Dizziness, confusion or the inability to wake up

Extreme weakness or unsteadiness

Trouble breathing or shortness of breath

Severe muscle pain

Ongoing pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

Seizures

No urine for an extended period.

Most pregnant women will recover from influenza with no issue if they are diagnosed and treated early.

Still, the risk of getting serious complications from influenza is higher during pregnancy.

Here are some of the potential complications due to influenza during pregnancy:

Admission to the hospital or intensive care unit (ICU)

Pneumonia

Low birth weight

Premature birth

Developmental issues in the baby (e.g. neural tube defects)

Miscarriage

Death (mother or baby).

Treating and managing influenza

Newborns receive protection against the flu via antibodies that pass from their vaccinated mother through the placenta. — Wikimedia Commons

You may be prescribed with an antiviral drug if you are diagnosed early.

Usually, doctors will suggest the oral antiviral oseltamivir to pregnant women as many studies have verified its safety.

Antivirals won’t cure influenza at once, but they can prevent the symptoms from becoming more severe.

Doctors may also prescribe other medications to treat specific symptoms, e.g. paracetamol to reduce fever, cough drops to relieve respiratory symptoms, etc.

Make sure that doctors are aware of your pregnancy to ensure that you are prescribed with medications that are safe for pregnancy.

Always follow the instructions on all medications.

You may experience symptoms for a week or more.

During that period, get sufficient rest and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

And take steps to avoid spreading the infection to other people around you, e.g. by limiting close contact with others, wearing a face mask, washing hands regularly, and covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

Preventing influenza

Influenza vaccination is an essential aspect of healthcare before, during and after pregnancy.

Getting the influenza vaccine is the best way to protect pregnant women against severe influenza.

All pregnant women are recommended to get the inactivated or recombinant influenza vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.

Even if you have received an influenza vaccine during a previous pregnancy, you should still get vaccinated for the current pregnancy.

Influenza vaccination is recommended annually for all adults, including pregnant women, as circulating influenza viral strains vary from season to season, and immunity tends to wane over time.

The safety of the influenza vaccine during pregnancy has been proven by numerous studies and millions of people have been vaccinated over the years.

It is also safe and effective to get the influenza shot together with other vaccines recommended for pregnancy, e.g. the Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) vaccine and Covid-19 vaccine.

Additionally, influenza vaccination during pregnancy can help protect newborns against influenza.

After receiving the vaccine, antibodies produced by the mother are passed to the baby during pregnancy through the placenta.

Vaccinated mothers can also pass the antibodies to their baby after birth through breastfeeding.

This passive immunity is vital during the first few months of life because babies can only get an influenza shot when they turn six months old.

The 40 weeks of pregnancy is a challenging, yet beautiful journey in a woman’s life as she strives to bring a new life into the world.

And it is important for mothers-to-be to take the necessary precautions to ensure that they and their babies are healthy and protected against illnesses such as influenza.

Thus, getting the influenza vaccine is one of the crucial steps to include your pregnancy to-do list.

Dr Hoo Mei Lin is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Paediatric Association’s Positive Parenting programme in collaboration with expert partners. For further information, please email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.