Flu Shot Benefits Mum And Baby

www.fightflu.co.nz
March 29, 2012

Flu Shot Benefits Mum And Baby

The safety of flu vaccination during pregnancy is well established and should be routine, according to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In a recent statement the College says that vaccination offers benefit to both mothers and infants1. Influenza immunisation is estimated to prevent 1 to 2 hospitalisations per 1000 women vaccinated during the second and third trimester2.

New Zealand’s National Influenza Specialist Group (NISG) says that the vaccination is free until July 31 for pregnant women, people aged 65 years and over, and those with ongoing medical conditions.

“Pregnant women are offered free immunisation as studies have shown they are particularly susceptible to more severe outcomes from flu. Additionally, vaccination of pregnant women has been shown to decrease the incidence of influenza in their new-born babies,” comments NISG spokesperson Dr Nikki Turner.

Dr Turner says women should also think about immunisation against influenza for children. Immunisation is recommended, but not free, for healthy children.

The 2012 seasonal influenza vaccine includes protection against three types of flu, including the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza 09 (swine flu), which is expected to be still in circulation in New Zealand this season.

“People need to be immunised as soon as possible as it can take up to two weeks to develop immunity after vaccination,” says Dr Turner.

“Although flu is mild-to-moderate for most people, it can lead to serious complications and even, in rare cases, death for others.”

Research conducted in New Zealand and Australia found that pregnant women are seven times more likely to be admitted to intensive care with severe influenza than women who are not pregnant3.

The study also found that women more than 20 weeks pregnant were at an even higher risk as they were 13 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care than a woman who is not pregnant.

Health experts believe pregnant women are more affected than others by swine flu because of the changes that occur in a woman’s body when she is pregnant. The developing fetus places stress on a pregnant woman’s respiratory system as well as her other organs as the unborn baby grows, making a woman more vulnerable to developing severe complications from what would normally be a more mild case of the flu.

The influenza vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in pregnant women4. No study to date has shown an adverse consequence of inactivated influenza vaccine in pregnant women or their offspring4,5,6.

For free health advice, call Healthline 0800 611 116. For advice about influenza immunisation visit www.fightflu.co.nz or www.health.govt.nz or text FLU to 515.

Ends

Breakout box

A common misconception; the flu vaccination gave me the flu!

Impossible, as the flu vaccine does not have active viruses, rather it is made from inactive viruses that stimulate your body’s immune response.

There are a number of viruses that circulate during the flu season and the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the most common strains that are expected to be making the rounds that season, including swine flu.

If you get the flu after having the flu vaccination, unfortunately you have caught a strain of flu that you have not been vaccinated against, or you did not respond completely to the vaccine.

References:
1. Zaman, K. Eliza Roy, Shams E. Arifeen et al. Effectiveness of Maternal Influenza Immunization in Mothers and Infants; N Engl J Med 2008; 359: 1555-1564.2. BMJ 2010; 340:c1279.
2. Australian Dept. Health and Aging, NHMRC. The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition. Available online at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-influenza
3. The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care (ANZIC) Influenza Investigators. Critical illness due to 2009 A/H1N1 influenza in pregnant and postpartum women: population based cohort study. BMJ 2010;340:c1279
4. 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.
5. 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 4;29(7):1357-8. Epub 2010 Dec 23.
6. Moro, P.L., 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. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Volume 204, Issue 2, Pages 146.e1-146.e7, February 2011.

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