Pregnant women at risk from flu virus

They should receive vaccines to reduce the risk of severe complication, health officials said yesterday.

The Public Health Ministry said that 17 people at high risk of complications from the flu developed adverse side-effects after receiving a vaccine against the type A (H1N1) virus.

Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said a pregnant woman in Maha Sarakham aged 28 had developed a rash and could not breath for five minutes after receiving the vaccine. But the woman and her newborn baby were now safe.

A 34-year-old woman who was seven months pregnant in the southern province of Phattalung had suffered lung and renal failure, which was thought to be an inflammatory reaction possibly caused by the vaccine. She developed severe complications a day after the vaccination.

In a meeting with senior health officials, Jurin was told about severe complications related to the vaccination programme against the type A (H1N1) flu virus, which the ministry ran from January 11 to February 9.

A report to the minister listed the 17 people who had adverse side effects after getting the vaccine. Two were medical workers, 13 were pregnant women, and two had chronic diseases. Eight women also had miscarriages.

However, a ministry panel tasked with verifying vaccine-related complications said severe complications in 5 of the 17 cases were unrelated the vaccine. The rest were being investigated.

The ministry reported that five people had succumbed to the type A (H1N1) virus in the past week, bringing the total deaths to 206 people. It also reported that about 32,953 were infected with the virus during the past seven days.

Four of five people who died were in the high risk group of severe complications. They included a 30 year-old woman in Surin province who was obese, a 62-year-old woman with heart disease and renal failure in Chiang Mai province, a 23-year-old pregnant woman in Bangkok who suffered from blood and heart diseases, and a 4-year-old boy with malnutrition in Nan province.

Jurin said he had ordered health officials nationwide to accelerate moves to reduce the spread of the disease.

He also ordered medical workers to immediately give the antiviral drug Oseltamivir to people with flu-like illnesses. They did not have to wait for lab test results confirming the disease.

Meanwhile, the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Infectious Disease Association of Thailand suggested the ministry continue the voluntary vaccination programme.

So far, about 235,078 people had received vaccines against the type A (H1N1) virus from Jan 11 to February 11. Medical workers had received the most vaccines.

Dr Amorn Leelarasmi, an infectious disease expert at Siriraj Hospital, said people should not panic over reports of severe complication from the vaccine. People in the high-risk group should get the vaccine before it expires in July.

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The Public Health Ministry's panel tasked with verification of vaccination-related complications will today study the severe complication in pregnant women after vaccination against the type A (H1N1) influenza virus as follow these cases :

A 35-year-old woman who pregnant five months in Phetchaburi province had an abortion four days after receive vaccine.

A 35-year-old woman who pregnant seven months in Kamphaengphet province had a fetus death 10 days after receive vaccine. The preliminary result shows that umbilical cord of baby was constricted.

A 15-year-old woman who pregnant nine month in Nakhonnayok province had fetus death while delivering seven days after vaccination.

A 35-year-old woman who pregnant nine month in same province had fetus baby one day after receive vaccine. The preliminary result shows that a mother was suffering from diabetes and has to receive the injected medicine to alleviate her condition caused by diabetes.

A 29-year-old woman with six pregnancy months in Chumporn province had developed fever and fetus death four days after vaccination.

A 29 year old woman who pregnant seven month in Phatthalung province had fetus death 23 days after receive vaccine. The preliminary result shows that the umbilical cord might twist around the unborn baby's neck.

A 26-year-old woman who pregnant seven month in Sakon Nakhon province had fetus death 15 days after vaccination. The preliminary result show the abnormality might caused with a baby.

So far, about 235,078 people had received vaccine against the type A(H1N1) influenza virus from January 11 to February 11. About 1,764,922 doses are remain. The vaccine will be expired by July.