Influenza-Related Morbidity in Pregnancy: A Call for Maternal Immunization
Authors: Laura E. Riley
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2021)

EditorialsFebruary 2022Influenza-Related Morbidity in Pregnancy: A Call for Maternal ImmunizationLaura E. Riley, MDLaura E. Riley, MDWeill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, New YorkSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M21-4598 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail During the 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic, pregnant women experienced disproportionately high rates of severe morbidity and mortality. Several reports highlighted that young, healthy pregnant women, particularly those in the third trimester, were at higher risk for severe maternal illness, with more intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use, mechanical ventilation, and death than nonpregnant women (1, 2). Furthermore, it was noted that delays in antiviral therapy were associated with greater morbidity and mortality (3, 4). Hence, in 2009, the recommendations that had been in place since 1997 were strengthened to recommend vaccinating all pregnant women against influenza, ...References1. Rasmussen SA, Jamieson DJ, Uyeki TM. Effects of influenza on pregnant women and infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012;207:S3-8. [PMID: 22920056] doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2012.06.068 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Mertz D, Geraci J, Winkup J, et al. Pregnancy as a risk factor for severe outcomes from influenza virus infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Vaccine. 2017;35:521-8. [PMID: 28024955] doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.12.012 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Louie JK, Acosta M, Jamieson DJ, et al; California Pandemic (H1N1) Working Group. Severe 2009 H1N1 influenza in pregnant and postpartum women in California. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:27-35. [PMID: 20032319] doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0910444 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Siston AM, Rasmussen SA, Honein MA, et al; Pandemic H1N1 Influenza in Pregnancy Working Group. Pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus illness among pregnant women in the United States. JAMA. 2010;303:1517-25. [PMID: 20407061] doi:10.1001/jama.2010.479 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Holstein R, Dawood FS, O’Halloran A, et al. Characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized pregnant women with influenza, 2010 to 2019. A repeated cross-sectional study. Ann Intern Med. 2022;175:149-158. doi:10.7326/M21-3668 Google Scholar6. Moro PL, Tepper NK, Grohskopf LA, et al. Safety of seasonal influenza and influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccines in pregnancy. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2012;11:911-21. [PMID: 23002972] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Yuen CY, Tarrant M. Determinants of uptake of influenza vaccination among pregnant women—a systematic review. Vaccine. 2014;32:4602-13. [PMID: 24996123] doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.06.067 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. ACOG committee opinion no. 732: influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131:e109-e114. [PMID: 29578985] doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002588 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Delahoy MJ, Whitaker M, O’Halloran A, et al; COVID-NET Surveillance Team. Characteristics and maternal and birth outcomes of hospitalized pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19—COVID-NET, 13 states, March 1–August 22, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:1347-54. [PMID: 32970655] doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6938e1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, New YorkDisclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M21-4598.Corresponding Author: Laura E. Riley, MD, NewYork–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 East 68th Street, M-724, Box 122, New York, NY 10065; e-mail, [email protected]cornell.edu.This article was published at Annals.org on 28 December 2021. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoCharacteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Pregnant Women With Influenza, 2010 to 2019 Rachel Holstein , Fatimah S. Dawood , Alissa O’Halloran , Charisse Cummings , Dawud Ujamaa , Pam Daily Kirley , Kimberly Yousey-Hindes , Emily Fawcett , Maya L. Monroe , Sue Kim , Ruth Lynfield , Chelsea McMullen , Alison Muse , Nancy M. Bennett , Laurie M. Billing , Melissa Sutton , Ann Thomas , H. Keipp Talbot , William Schaffner , Ilene Risk , Carrie Reed , and Shikha Garg Metrics February 2022Volume 175, Issue 2Page: 285-286KeywordsCOVID-19H1N1Influenza virusesPregnancyVaccines ePublished: 28 December 2021 Issue Published: February 2022 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2021 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...