There has been no abnormal surge in intrauterine deaths and spontaneous abortion since the start of the human swine flu vaccination programme, Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Thomas Tsang said today.

One of the mothers of the two intrauterine deaths had gestational diabetes mellistus and the other was on medication. There is no evidence yet suggesting the deaths were related to the vaccination.

In Hong Kong up to 220 stillbirths are recorded every year, and the rate is 0.3% to 0.5% of total deliveries, he said. The rate of stillbirths in inoculated mothers so far is 0.2%, and within the normal rate.

The centre has received reports of four spontaneous abortions recently. Three mothers were in the first trimester of pregnancy, the other in the second trimester. Dr Tsang said there are more than 10,000 cases of spontaneous abortion in Hong Kong annually, and four spontaneous abortions are well within the normal rate.

The centre has also received reports of other cases, including tinnitus, bloody urine, transient numbness and even terminal stomach cancer, but none are believed to be related to the vaccination.

Dr Tsang said the second batch of 2.5 million doses of the vaccine has arrived and the Government will soon decide how they will be used.

Meanwhile, a 76-year-old man with chronic obstructive airway disease died of human swine flu at Pok Oi Hospital yesterday.