Swine flu blamed for rise in pregnant women's deaths

Pregnant women are being encouraged to get immunised against swine flu. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

Swine flu is being blamed for a jump in the number of deaths amongst pregnant women.

The conclusion comes from researchers who have been going over records from intensive care units both here in New Zealand and in Australia.

The researchers found 11 per cent of pregnant women who ended up in intensive care, died as a result of swine flu.

Twelve per cent of their babies also died.

Researcher Dr Ian Seppelt says that is out of the ordinary, because pregnancy is usually thought of as safe.

He says none of the women who died had been inoculated against the regular seasonal flu.

As one result of the study, pregnant women are being encouraged to get immunised against swine flu.

- NEWSTALK ZB