12 Feb 2010
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, through the surveillance system established since the launch of the human swine influenza (HSI) vaccination programme, today (February 12) received a report about a case of intrauterine death (IUD) involving a 28-year-old pregnant woman.
The woman is now staying at Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) in stable condition.
The CHP's investigation showed that the woman was at 39 weeks of gestation. She was followed up by a Maternal and Child Health Centre (MCHC) for this pregnancy.
She had received HSI vaccination at the MCHC on December 21, 2009.
The woman, with good past health, was admitted to TMH today for vaginal spotting. However, foetal heart beating was not detected after admission. Intrauterine death was subsequently confirmed.
Investigations for common causes of IUD, including infection, genetic and metabolic disorders, are ongoing.
A CHP spokesman noted that the HSI vaccination was given more than seven weeks ago. He said there is no medical evidence at this stage to suggest that the IUD was related to HSI vaccination.
In Hong Kong, about 150 to 220 stillbirths are recorded every year. A significant proportion, 15 to 70 percent, of the cases does not have identifiable causes. According to international and local experience, the rate of stillbirth is about 0.3 to 0.5 percent of total deliveries (including live births and stillbirths).
According to the World Health Organisation, studies to date do not show harmful effects from the HSI vaccine with respect to pregnancy or a developing embryo or foetus.
Cases of IUD following an HSI vaccination have also been recorded and monitored in overseas countries. So far no causal relationship has been found between HSI vaccination and IUD.
The CHP will closely monitor the woman's clinical progress and results of further investigation.