Supplement
Behaviors and perceptions regarding seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccination during pregnancy

Presented orally at the 37th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Fe, NM, Aug. 6, 2010.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2011.02.041Get rights and content

We examined vaccination rates during pregnancy against both seasonal and pandemic H1N1 influenza and reasons for nonadherence to recommended guidelines during the 2009 through 2010 influenza season. Demographic and vaccination data were collected using a cross-sectional approach. Among 813 postpartum women, 520 (64%) reported receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination and 439 (54%) reported receiving the H1N1 influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Most received vaccinations at their obstetrician's office. Major reasons for not receiving vaccination were: not knowledgeable about the vaccine importance (25%), concerns for effects on fetal and maternal health (18% and 9%, respectively), and not knowledgeable about where to obtain vaccination (9%). Reported H1N1 influenza vaccination rates were significantly lower in blacks (37%) compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and Asian/other (57%, 59%, and 58%, respectively; P < .0001). Subsequent campaigns for improving vaccination rates in pregnancy should focus on educating patients about vaccine importance and safety.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

This study was approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board. We performed a cross-sectional study of all women delivering at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) from November 3, 2009, through May 3, 2010. A questionnaire, composed of 31 questions related specifically to seasonal influenza and H1N1 influenza vaccination and infection (H1N1 questionnaire), was used to collect information regarding the influenza experience at UCH during the study period. In addition to

Results

In all, 1553 deliveries were recorded in the Perinatal Database during the 6-month study period. Of these 1553 women, 813 (52%) completed the H1N1 questionnaire. We compared the characteristics of the 813 women completing and 740 women not completing the H1N1 questionnaire (Table 1). These 2 groups did not differ with respect to maternal age or gestational age at time of delivery, but women completing the H1N1 questionnaire were significantly more likely to be nulliparous. In addition, for all

Comment

In this study of postpartum women delivering viable newborns at a tertiary care hospital in the Denver, CO metropolitan area, we find vaccination rates against both seasonal influenza and pandemic H1N1 influenza that exceed historic rates of vaccination against influenza in pregnancy. Although the first published report recommending influenza vaccination in pregnancy was published in 1960, it was not until the year 2000 that ACIP recommended routine vaccination against influenza in pregnancy.

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge Nancy West, PhD, for help in reviewing this manuscript and assisting with data analysis.

References (18)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

Reprints are not available from the authors.

Conflict of Interest: Dr Gibbs is a consultant for pharmacosurveillance (effect of H1N1 vaccine on pregnancy outcomes) for Novartis Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Drs Fisher, Hart, Winn, and Lynch, and Ms Scott have none.

Supported by Newborn Hope of Colorado and the Academic Enrichment Fund of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado Denver.

Publication of this article was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs.

View full text
Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.