OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical characteristics of the pregnant women who 
were hospitalized in a tertiary referral hospital with pandemic influenza H1N1 
2009 virus infection and neonatal outcomes from October 2009 to December 2009 
during which the pandemic influenza cases peaked in Turkey.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five pregnant women who were hospitalized with 
influenza-like illness and who had laboratory confirmation for pandemic 
influenza H1N1 virus infection were evaluated prospectively.
RESULTS: Of the 25 patients, 4 (16%) were in the first trimester, 8 (32%) were 
in the second trimester, and 13 (52%) were in the third trimester. The median 
time from the onset of symptoms to the initiation of antiviral therapy was 1 day 
(range 1-9 days). Nineteen (76%) patients received oseltamivir treatment. It 
took 1.6 days on the average for the fever defervescence after the initiation of 
treatment or hospitalization. Of the 14 patients who underwent chest 
radiography, three had findings consistent with pneumonia. The mean duration of 
hospitalization was 4.8 days. Four women (16%) were admitted to an intensive 
care unit, but there were no maternal or neonatal deaths in this series. At the 
time of their H1N1 hospitalization, seven women delivered by cesarean at 33-40 
weeks gestation, two vaginally at 38 weeks gestation, and two had an abortion at 
10 weeks and 16 weeks of gestation, respectively. None of the infants had any 
evidence of influenza infection.
CONCLUSION: Pregnant women are at increased risk for complications from pandemic 
influenza H1N1 virus infection. Timely medical attention with early recourse to 
antiviral therapy is associated with a better outcome in H1N1-affected pregnant 
women.