BACKGROUNDNovel influenza A or swine flu causes widespread outbreak of respiratory infection worldwide. Pregnancy and postpartum has four to five-fold increased risk of complications and serious illness. The present study was undertaken to analyse the maternal and perinatal outcome of women with swine flu in pregnancy and postpartum period.
METHODSThis was a retrospective study done in a tertiary hospital in Salem district of Tamilnadu. Only confirmed cases of swine flu in pregnancy and postpartum were included in the study. The study period was October 2015 to November 2018. Patient symptoms, signs, laboratory abnormalities, criteria for ICU admission, maternal and perinatal outcome were analysed in this study.
RESULTSA total of thirty-one women was included in the study. All were throat swab positive for H1N1 Real Time PCR. The overall maternal mortality was 9.6 % and perinatal mortality was 16.6 %. Pneumonia, respiratory failure and coagulopathy were the cause s of maternal deaths.
CONCLUSIONSVaccination, high index of suspicion, early diagnosis, antiviral therapy, and early referral to higher centres is mandatory in all suspected cases of swine flu in pregnant and postpartum woman to reduce both maternal and perinatal complications. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Priya GP, Jeyamani B, Nithya S, et al. Maternal and perinatal outcome of women with swine flu in pregnancy and postpartum.