The death of a 20-year-old woman from swine flu in Chicago one day after giving birth has made pregnant women nervous--and full of questions. To answer them, we asked pediatrician Claire McCarthy, MD, who answered iVillage moms' top questions about swine flu in May. Dr. McCarthy is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, a senior editor for Harvard Health Publications, and a contributing editor for Parenting Magazine.

Q: I'm pregnant, and worried.  Are there any special precautions I should take?

A: We are still learning about H1N1 (formerly known as swine flu), so we don't know for sure how it might affect pregnant women and their babies.  What we do know is that pregnant women can be more likely to get sick than other people, and when they get sick it can be dangerous both for them and their baby.  So it's important to take precautions:

• Wash your hands with soap and water, or alcohol-based gel (carry it with you), every chance you get
• To the extent that it is possible, stay away from sick people.
• If you have been exposed to someone with H1N1 (or with a flu-like illness that might be H1N1), talk to your doctor about whether taking medication to prevent illness (or at least make it milder) makes sense
• if you have flu symptoms (fever, congestion, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea) call your doctor immediately.
• For more information, here is the link to the CDC's recommendations for pregnant women
  

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