The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) (external site) strongly endorses routine vaccination of all pregnant women against influenza.1
This endorsement supports existing recommendations of the National Health and Medical Research Council (external site) and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations.2,3
In recognition of the benefits of protecting pregnant women and their newborns against influenza, the Western Australian Department of Health recommends that all pregnant women be offered influenza vaccination as part of routine, comprehensive, antenatal care.
Vaccination against influenza in late autumn, regardless of gestational age, is optimal, but unvaccinated pregnant women should be immunised at any time during the influenza season.
Why should you recommend influenza vaccination for pregnant women?
Preventing influenza during pregnancy is an essential part of antenatal care because pregnant women are at an increased risk of serious illness due to influenza.4
Excess morbidity and mortality for pregnant women with influenza compared with non-pregnant women of similar age with influenza has been well documented.4,5
The safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy is well established; no study to date has shown an adverse consequence of inactivated influenza vaccine in pregnant women or their infants.6,7,8
Active placental transfer of maternal antibodies makes influenza vaccine during pregnancy a highly effective measure to protect infants from influenza during the first 6 months of life.9,10,11,12
Both maternal and infant benefit is now proven. Only 5 pregnant women need to be vaccinated to prevent 1 case of serious maternal or infant respiratory illness.
In 2012 the World Health Organisation declared that pregnant women should receive the highest priority for influenza immunisation. This recommendation was based on “compelling evidence of a substantial risk of severe disease in pregnant women, evidence that vaccine is effective against severe disease, and the evidence supporting secondary protection of infants under 6 months, in whom disease burden is also high”.
In addition, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend that all pregnant women be offered influenza immunisation during pregnancy.
Reporting reactions to influenza vaccine
Health care providers can report possible adverse events following immunisation using the online portal at AEFI-CAN WAVSS (external site)
For further information about the WA Vaccine Safety Surveillance System and how to report a reaction visit the
health professional site.
More information
- Visit HealthyWA for consumer information about:
References
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists statement (external site) (C-Obs 45). Endorsed November 2011. Vaccination of women planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and preterm infants. In Australian Immunisation Handbook, 9th Edition. Updated July 2009.
- Summary of ATAGI recommendations for selection of seasonal influenza vaccine for children aged ≥6 months to <5 years, adults and other risk groups. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; 2010.
- Rothberg MB, Haessler SD, Brown RB. Complications of viral influenza. Am J Med. 2008 Apr; 121(4): 258-64.
- Webb SA, Pettilä V, Seppelt I, Bellomo R et al. Critical care services and 2009 H1N1 influenza in Australia and New Zealand. N Engl J Med. 2009 Nov; 361(20):1925-34. Epub 2009 Oct 8.
- Hewagama S, Walker SP, Stuart RL, Gordon C, Johnson PD, Friedman ND et al. 2009 H1N1 influenza A and pregnancy outcomes in Victoria, Australia. Clin Infect Dis. 2010 Mar;50(5):686-9.
- Tamma PD, Ault KA, del Rio C, Steinhoff MC, Halsey NA, Omer SB. Safety in influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Dec;201(6):547-52. Epub 2009 Oct 21.
- Lacroix I, Damase-Michel C, Kreft-Jais C, Castot A, Montastruc JL. French Association of Regional Pharmacovigilance Centres 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines in pregnant women: the French Pharmacovigilance survey. Vaccine. 2011 Feb;29(7):1357-8. Epub 2010 Dec 23.
- Moro, PL, Border K, Zheteyeva Y et al. Adverse events in pregnant women following administration of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and live attenuated influenza vaccine in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 1990-2009. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Feb;204(2): 146.e1-146.e7.
- Zaman K, Roy E, Arifeen SE et al. Effectiveness of Maternal Influenza Immunization in Mothers and Infants. N Engl J Med 2008;359:1555-1564.
- Benowitz I, Esposito DB, Gracey KD, Shapiro ED, Vázquez M. Influenza vaccine given to pregnant women reduces hospitalization due to influenza in their infants. Clin Infect Dis. 2010 Dec;51(12):1355-61. Epub 2010 Nov 8.
- Eick AA, Uyeki TM, Klimov A, Hall H, Reid R, Santosham M et al. Maternal Influenza Vaccination and Effect on Influenza Virus Infection in Young Infants. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011;165(2):104-111.