Swine Flu Mom Has Healthy Baby; Flu Dangers for Pregnant Women
OCTOBER 15, 2009
ABC's Good Morning America interviews HUP patient Karin McHugh,
who nearly died from complications due to H1N1 flu shortly after her
son was delivered in an emergency c-section. Karin was brought to HUP
with very serious lung complications. One of her doctors, Scott Halpern, MD, PhD, MBE, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, noted that
"Karin was a sick as anyone could be." ABC's medical expert Dr. Richard
Besser, former acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and a
Penn Medicine alum, highlighted the need for pregnant women to be
vaccinated and mentioned that it is important for OB/GYNs to know the
signs of flu and the importance of early treatment with antivirals.
Karin said "If I'd heard a story like this when I was expecting I
definitely would have received the vaccine, if it was available. I
hadn't heard about the complications. It was one bad thing after
another – ARDS, a bloodstream infection, possible lung transplant,
emergency ECMO and femoral artery repair, my heart stopped three times,
they thought I had brain damage – so I'm very fortunate, my outcome is
a miracle."
CBS News also provided additional coverage within the past few days.
