H1N1 flu vaccine

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

You are 6 times more likely to die of it if you are pregnant. (Regular flu is dangerous for both mom and fetus as well.)

That's not quite what the statistics say. The statistic being reported is that 6% of the US swine flu deaths have been pregnant women, while pregnant women make up only 1% of the general population. While that means 6 times as many as one would expect have died, it doesn't mean they're 6 times more likely to die than someone who isn't pregnant. To know that you'd have to know infection rates and some other numbers.

Not that the statistic isn't cause for concern. Even if it is simply indicating that pregnant women are more likely to contract H1N1 and therefore even dying at the same rate as the general population they'll account for a disproportionate number of deaths, that's a good enough reason to take the precaution of the shot. But "6 times more likely" isn't quite an accurate picture.