Health chief advises St Helens women on swine flu vaccine (From This Is Cheshire)

Health chief advises St Helens women on swine flu vaccine

PREGNANT women do not face a higher risk from swine flu vaccine than anyone else, health chiefs claimed this week.

Their reassurance follows a Sky News story about the death of two pregnant women alleged to have been caused from the immunisation.

Dr Ruth Hussey, north west director for public health, said: “It is now clear that Sky is quoting an old story from the summer before the two swine flu vaccines had gone through the licensing process.

“The World Health Organisation stated they support the use of vaccines as recommended by regulatory authorities and they note that the GSK vaccine Pandemrix has been licensed for use in pregnant women.”

It has been revealed that hospitalisation of pregnant women with swine flu in America are four times higher than the rest of the population.

It is feared the same trend could follow in the UK as the flu pandemic worsens.

Dr Hussey added: “We do not want to unduly alarm mums-to-be, but we know that because their immune systems are naturally suppressed during pregnany, they could be more at risk of complications.

“The NHS has a history of recommending vaccines for pregnant women when they are needed.

“Pregnant women routinely have the seasonal flu vaccine.

“As both the swine flu and seasonal flu vaccines use inactivated versions of the flu virus, adverse reactions are the same for pregnant women as they would be for non pregnant women.”