BBC NEWS | Health | Swine flu tips for mothers-to-beExpectant mothers and parents with children under five are being advised to avoid crowds and unnecessary travel to reduce the risk of swine flu.
The government guidance is being re-issued after a woman with the virus died shortly after giving birth.
Meanwhile the National Childbirth Trust has been accused of "scaremongering" for suggesting women delay pregnancy.
The Royal College of General Practitioners told the Observer it was a "disproportionate reaction".
Alan Johnson, the former health secretary, agreed it was an "overreaction" to say women should not have babies at this time.
Concern over the effects of swine flu on new and expectant mothers has heightened since the death of Ruptara Miah, 39, in London's Whipps Cross Hospital on 13 July. Her baby is said to be very ill in intensive care.
Good hygiene
Another child under six months old, who died in London, is also among the latest victims of the virus.
The re-issued Department of Health advice, to be collated and published on the NHS website later on Sunday, is based on recommendations given out by the Royal College of Midwives.
If you are pregnant, you are slightly more susceptible to all infections. One of them is swine flu
Belinda Phipps
National Childbirth Trust
Health experts say expectant mothers could suffer possible complications if they contract swine flu, such as pneumonia, breathing difficulties and dehydration, because they have suppressed immune systems. Young children are also vulnerable.
Pregnant women are being told to practise good hygiene by washing their hands frequently with soap and water, and to avoid crowded places when possible.
Most mothers-to-be with swine flu are being prescribed Relenza, an inhaled antiviral drug which treats the virus without reaching the foetus. However, where it is particularly severe, doctors can offer Tamiflu instead.
The NHS website stresses that most expectant mothers who contract swine flu will only have mild symptoms and recover within a week.
'Hysteria'
Further advice, however, on the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) website has sparked consternation.
It says: "The Department of Health advises that it may be sensible for those trying for children to consider delaying conception whilst the pandemic is going on."
Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, told the Observer newspaper: "This is one of the few times I have disagreed with the NCT.
"Although technically correct, its advice is a completely disproportionate reaction...because it adds to the sense of hysteria and panic that seems to be engulfing the nation."
The Department of Health said it advised women to plan their pregnancy carefully, but was not advising against trying to conceive.
"Mums-to-be are more vulnerable to any type of flu. It is particularly important that anyone who has existing health problems and is thinking about starting a family should talk to their GP first, as they normally would," a spokesman for the department said.
Belinda Phipps, chief executive of National Childbirth Trust, said that while the risks for expectant mothers were low, women needed information to make an informed decision.
Alan Johnson: NCT advice "an overreaction"
"If you are pregnant, you are slightly more susceptible to all infections. One of them is swine flu.
"It is important that pregnant women know that - and particularly other members of the population know that - so that they behave responsibly and if they are sick they don't go and put themselves close to a pregnant woman."
Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said women could not be expected to wait for the first wave of the pandemic to end before trying for a baby.
Speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Alan Johnson, the new home secretary, said an unexpected aspect of the virus was that it was attacking the young, not the elderly as with traditional seasonal flu.
He called on parents to keep using their common sense, saying the "vast majority" had been following public health advice.
Other Department of Health advice for swine flu sufferers is to delay summer holidays until symptoms have gone.
Abta, which represents travel agents and tour operators, said the cost of cancellation due to swine flu would be covered by travel insurance.
Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have confirmed this weekend that its staff were not allowing suspected sufferers to travel.
Twenty-nine people have now died in the UK after contracting swine flu - 26 in England and three in Scotland.
The government has warned that the number of deaths from the virus this winter in the UK could reach between 19,000 and 65,000.
However, during the 1999 to 2000 winter, seasonal flu deaths reached 21,000 and even during average winters there are normally anywhere between 6,000 to 8,000 deaths.
Twenty-nine people have now died in the UK after contracting swine flu - 26 in England and three in Scotland.Hardly pandemic levels, so why the big push for mandatory vaccines that have yet to be tested .
Obama plans for nationwide swine flu vaccine
The Obama administration announced last week its plans to implement a $350 million nationwide vaccine campaign for the H1N1 virus. At the G8 summit in Italy, the president stated, "I think it's clear that although we were fortunate not to see a more serious situation in the spring when we first got news of this outbreak, the potential for a significant outbreak in the fall is looming". He emphasized that he wanted the US to be prepared, not panicked. However, the WHO also announced this week it has stopped tracking swine flu cases as they have become too numerous worldwide.
While the administration claims it does not want to create a state of panic, that, unfortunately is often the product of campaigns which underscore "looming" dangers as the president did at the G8 summit. The government has already spent around $1 billion on flu vaccines and is planning on purchasing additional drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza to combat the "pandemic".
Clinical trials for the H1N1 flu vaccine are still underway, and not expected to be finished until the fall. This brings up another point of concern: will these vaccines be government mandated as some have been in the past? According to the CRS Report for Congress on mandatory vaccines, in the state of Florida, for example, state officials may order individuals to be vaccinated for diseases which present a severe danger to public health, and when there is a health emergency. (Fla. Stat. 381.00315)
There has been debate over whether such mandates are constitutional, and whether or not they violate a patient's right to informed consent. On one side of the debate, there are those who feel that mandatory vaccines are designed to protect the general public, and in most cases, are necessary. On the other side, there are those who feel that forcing individuals to be vaccinated is violating their freedom of choice, and in some cases, even violates religious freedoms. The real issue may well be forced healthcare and the loss of free choice.
No matter which side you take, there are ways to protect yourself. If there is concern that you or your family may become infected by someone who is not vaccinated, the easy answer is to seek out and obtain the vaccine. If you are opposed to vaccines, or cannot receive them for religious reasons, do all that you can now to strengthen your immune system, stay healthy and avoid situations where you or your family members may become exposed. No matter which side you take, it is important to be respectful of others' views. We must remember the principles our country was founded on, lest we forget the liberties afforded to all Americans.
Obama plans for nationwide swine flu vaccine