Is Relenza safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women?

There are no long term data on the long term effects on Relenza in pregnant women and those who breast feed. Experts think that the effects of HINI itself are more of a danger to pregnant women and their fetus and perhaps Relenza may be of more benefit. It is better to go with treatment than without any treatment


Before the outbreak of swine flu, very few pregnant women had taken Relenza and so it is not yet possible to say what the long term effects on the infant will be. In the UK and Europe, experts recommend the inhaler because the drug goes directly to the lungs and does not spread to the body. This way less of the body is affected and the chances of the drug spreading to the fetus are very low.

Only a tiny amount of Relenza gets across the breast into milk, and thus breast feeding women can resume this activity while taking Relenza. However, the mother should wear a mask to avoid passing the virus to the baby when she sneezes.