Avian flu in pregnant women, 90% mortality rate

A study undertaken by researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne, Australia, has revealed that contracting avian flu during pregnancy is fatal for the majority of pregnant women. The study, which involved a meta-analysis of 1,500 scientific articles on a total of 30 cases of mothers infected with the A/H5N1 virus during pregnancy, found that 27 of the women died, indicating a 90% mortality rate. The findings of the research indicate the imperative incorporation of pregnant women in pandemic strategies, as asserted by Rachael Purcell, co-author of the meta-analysis. Purcell posits that expectant mothers, despite constituting a high-risk demographic, are frequently excluded from vaccine trials and encounter delays in accessing public health vaccine initiatives. Systematic inclusion of pregnant women in pandemic programmes could prevent avoidable deaths, say MCRI researchers.