Influenza Immunization During Pregnancy Can Positively Affect Fetal Growth

When influenza virus was circulating in the community, maternal immunization not only reduced influenza illness in both mothers and infants but also was associated with an increase in birth weight.

A randomized study in 340 pregnant women in Bangladesh who received either inactivated influenza vaccine or 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (control) during the third trimester showed that maternal influenza immunization prevented influenza in their infants (JW Gen Med Sep 23 2008). Now, researchers performed a secondary analysis of outcomes in 327 newborns during periods when influenza virus was circulating in the community and when it was not circulating.

When influenza virus was not circulating, the incidence of respiratory illness with fever in the two vaccine groups was similar for mothers and infants. Mean birth weight and proportion of small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants also were similar in the two vaccine groups (S…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics