Influenza infection and vaccination in pregnant women

Abstract

Evidence from previous influenza pandemics, epidemic seasonal influenza and, most recently, pandemic influenza A (H1N1) demonstrates that pregnant women and their offspring are at an increased risk for influenza-related complications. Influenza infections in pregnancy have been associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including preterm labor and delivery, respiratory hospitalization, pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, overwhelming sepsis and death. The influenza vaccine has been repeatedly demonstrated to be both safe and effective in pregnant women and the potential for passive transfer of protective antibodies to the neonate adds to the cumulative benefits of maternal influenza immunization. Despite the potential benefit of this vaccine during pregnancy, low vaccination rates in both the USA and in other industrialized countries have been disconcerting.

Keywords::

• efficacy
• influenza
• neonates
• pregnancy
• safety
• women

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Pranita D Tamma receives financial support from the NIH T32 Training Grant Award. Marc C Steinhoff receives financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NIH and Wyeth Vaccines. Saad B Omer receives The Emory Global Health Initiative Faculty of Distinction Fund Award and is also funded by an educational grant to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases from Merck and Co., Inc. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

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