PREGNANT women and new mums say they have been left in the dark over confusing Government advice about swine flu.

The NHS has been criticised for its conflicting guidance over the dangers posed to mums-to-be by the bug.

The National Childbirth Trust has said women should delay getting pregnant while NHS bosses told expectant mums to avoid crowds and unnecessary travel, but later retracted the statement.

A 26-year-old woman from Laindon, who refused to be named, described the advice as confusing.

The woman, who is eight weeks pregnant with her second child, added: “One minute they are saying don’t go out, the next they say don’t get pregnant at all.

“It’s not very realistic for them to just tell pregnant women to stay at home. I am very worried to be honest.

“I have a young daughter as well and I’m too scared to take her to the playground in case she gets it.”

Single mum Charlotte Birnie, 34, of Great Knightleys, Basildon, was recently prescribed a course of Tamiflu for her one-year-old daughter, Ella.

She said: “Ella was poorly and had a really bad throat and temperature. I think they were concerned she might have swine flu so they gave me some anti viral drugs for her.

“She doesn’t have swine flu, but I think it’s important children and vulnerable people are given this drug as soon as possible.”

A spokesman for the Department of Health said it advised women to plan their pregnancy carefully, but was not advising against trying to conceive.