Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in pregnant women: impact of early diagnosis and antiviral treatment

Abstract

Evaluation of: Siston AM, Rasmussen SA, Honein MA et al. Pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus illness among pregnant women in the United States. JAMA 303(15), 1517–1525 (2010).

Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness from influenza infection, particularly pandemics, including the current flu pandemic. Early antiviral therapy using oseltamivir or zanamivir may be beneficial, but limited information is available regarding their safety and effectiveness during pregnancy. The article by Siston et al. assessed the findings of a recently published paper describing the severity of illness due to 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection among 788 pregnant women reported to the CDC, stratified by timing of antiviral therapy and pregnancy trimester at symptom onset. The authors’ findings highlight the potential for severe illness and high risk of mortality due to influenza A (H1N1) infection among pregnant women and suggest the benefit of early antiviral treatment in reducing intensive care unit admissions and mortality rate. The WHO and CDC recommendations including 2009 influenza A (H1N1) vaccination and early antiviral therapy in case of influenza-like illness for all pregnant women are discussed regarding the key findings of this paper and other published data on influenza A (H1N1) infection in pregnant women.

Keywords::

• antiviral therapy
• H1N1
• pandemic influenza A
• pregnant women

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.