This document provides review of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in pregnant women. Pregnant women with confirmed, probable, or suspected influenza A (H1N1) virus infection should receive antiviral treatment. Given the potential for rapidly worsening disease, close follow-up is recommended. The healthcare provider prescribing treatment should plan to contact patients on treatment within the first 24 hours of therapy to evaluate response. This review adds to a growing body of data that supports the notion that pregnant women may be both susceptible to and exhibit more severe symptoms with H1N1 influenza than is seen in non-pregnant patients.Read More

Although morbidity and mortality from pneumonia has decreased since 1901, pneumonia in pregnancy remains a major health issue worldwide. Pneumonia classification includes: community acquired pneumonia (CAP) encountered in otherwise healthy individuals, health care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) developing in outpatient-care facilities, hospital-acquired pneumonia, nursing-home-acquired pneumonia, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Improving the care of adult patients with CAP has been the focus of many different organizations, and several have developed guidelines for management of CAP.  Recent recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) on the management of CAP address diagnostic techniques and management schemes for bacterial and viral pneumonias are addressed. These guidelines are discussed in the setting of the pregnant woman with CAP. It is widely held that pregnant women do not tolerate lung infections as well, and thus pneumonia can result in greater morbidity and mortality. Because of this, most recommend that a higher level of surveillance and intervention be practiced for the pregnant women.Read More