Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-6-2017

Journal

International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics: The Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

DOI

10.1002/ijgo.12341

Abstract

Objective

To describe the effect of maternal vaccination on birth outcomes in rural Nepal, modified by timing of vaccination in pregnancy and influenza virus activity.

Methods

A secondary analysis was conducted using data from two annual cohorts of a randomized controlled trial. A total of 3693 pregnant women from Sarlahi District were enrolled between April 25, 2011, and September 9, 2013. All participants were aged 15–40 years and received a trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine or placebo. The outcome measures included birth weight, pregnancy length, low birth weight (<2500 g), preterm birth, and small‐for‐gestational‐age birth.

Results

Data were available on birth weight for 2741 births and on pregnancy length for 3623 births. Maternal vaccination increased mean birthweight by 42 g (95% confidence interval [CI] 8–76). The magnitude of this increase varied by season but was greatest among pregnancies with high influenza virus circulation during the third trimester. Birth weight increased by 111 g (95% CI −51 to 273) when 75%–100% of a pregnancy's third trimester had high influenza virus circulation versus 38 g (95% CI −6 to 81) when 0%–25% of a pregnancy's third trimester had high influenza virus circulation. However, these results were nonsignificant.

Conclusion

Seasonal maternal influenza vaccination in rural Nepal increased birth weight; the magnitude appeared larger during periods of high influenza virus circulation.

ClinicalTrials.gov

NCT01034254.

Comments

Reproduced with permission of Wiley & Sons. Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Peer Reviewed

1

Open Access

1

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