The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said Thursday that GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix, a swine influenza vaccine, was safe for pregnant women.

"The vaccine can be taken without worries," Petri Ruutu of the THL told the Finnish News Agency (STT).

He added that while the vaccine's side-effects included localised pain and a chance of a temperature, the benefits outweighed the risks.

A number of health experts in Germany have raised concern about using vaccines like Pandemrix containing immunologic adjuvants on pregnant women and young children.

STT