Epidemiology of seasonal influenza infection in pregnant women and its impact on birth outcomes
Date
2017
Authors
Regan, A.
Moore, H.
Sullivan, S.
De Klerk, N.
Effler, P.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Epidemiology and Infection, 2017; 145(14):2930-2939
Statement of Responsibility
A. K. Regan, H. C. Moore, S. G. Sullivan, N. De Klerk and P. V. Effler
Conference Name
Abstract
Seasonal influenza can cause significant morbidity in pregnant women. Much of the existing epidemiological evidence on influenza during pregnancy has focused on the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. To measure the epidemiological characteristics of seasonal influenza infection among pregnant women and the impact on infant health, a cohort of 86 779 pregnancies during the influenza season (2012-2014) was established using probabilistic linkage of notifiable infectious disease, hospital admission, and birth information. A total of 192 laboratory-confirmed influenza infections were identified (2·2 per 1000 pregnancies), 14·6% of which were admitted to hospital. There was no difference in the proportion of infections admitted to hospital by trimester or subtype of infection. Influenza B infections were more likely to occur in second trimester compared with influenza A/H3N2 and influenza A/H1N1 infections (41·3%, 23·6%, and 33·3%, respectively), and on average, infants born to women with influenza B during pregnancy had 4·0% (95% CI 0·3-7·6%) lower birth weight relative to optimal compared with infants born to uninfected women (P = 0·03). Results from this linked population-based study suggest that there are differences in maternal infection by virus type and subtype and support the provision of seasonal influenza vaccine to pregnant women.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
First published online 11 September 2017
Access Status
Rights
© Cambridge University Press 2017