Swine Flu and Pregnancy
With the rise of the pandemic (as declared by the WHO) now, swine flu is becoming an increasing concern for children who are aged below five years, old people as well as pregnant women. Yesterday, two more cases of swine flu have been identified in Saudi Arabia that sent a chill down my spine. Currently eight months pregnant and with a two-year old daughter, I find myself in a whole new situation when I hear about swine flu.
Pregnant women are found to have low immune levels in pregnancy that makes them more susceptible to any viral attack, be it normal flu or the swine flu. Any viral attack can drag for a long period and unless absolutely essential, the doctors are not likely to prescribe any medication to a pregnant woman due to the unknown effects of the medication on the fetus as well as the pregnant mother.
Therefore, how do we (pregnant women) stay safe?
Based on what I see, there’s not much we can do except strengthen our immune system and stay clean. The same is applied towards children below five years and senior citizens. The swine flu symptoms are very similar to the regular flu which makes it even more difficult to identify. However, if you are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting along with the flu, consult your health practitioner immediately.
Here are a few tips that can help anyone, especially a pregnant woman deal during this pandemic:
• Clean and wash your hands often with a soap or antibacterial gel.
• If you are going outside, wear a face mask if you can or better, stay safe indoors.
• Have extra Vitamin C supplements; I’d highly recommend drinking orange juice. Other vitamin or mineral supplements will also do.
• If you know someone who is sick, avoid going near them. However, if these are your children, make sure you change their clothes often and you wash your hands even more often after dealing with them.
• Drink lots of water. The more water you drink, the more toxins you eliminate from your body avoiding any risks or chances of any kind of infection.
• Try to have a healthy diet with varied fruits, vegetables and proteins to strengthen your system.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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