Pregnant Parents Research Articles

Prenatal tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine effectiveness at preventing infant pertussis.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine containing five pertussis components (Tdap5; Adacel®, Sanofi) when given during pregnancy at preventing pertussis in infants less than 2months of age. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Network, undertook a case-control study evaluating the effectiveness of Tdap vaccination in pregnancy against pertussis in infants less than 2months of age based on data collected by the EIP Network from 2011 through 2014. The dataset from the CDC/EIP Network study was used to conduct this product-specific vaccine effectiveness analysis of Tdap5 vaccination in pregnancy to prevent disease in young infants. The main outcome of interest was vaccine effectiveness in infants whose pregnant parents were vaccinated with Tdap5 between 27 and 36weeks' gestation, in accordance with the ideal timing for Tdap vaccination in pregnancy recommended by the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression, and vaccine effectiveness was calculated as (1-OR)×100%. There were 160 infant pertussis cases and 302 matched controls included in this Tdap5-specific study. Tdap5 effectiveness in preventing pertussis in infants whose pregnant parents were vaccinated between 27 and 36weeks' gestation was 92.5% (95% CI, 38.5%-99.1%). Effectiveness of Tdap5 against pertussis-related hospitalization in infants whose pregnant parents were vaccinated between 27 and 36weeks' gestation could not be calculated due to lack of discordance among matched cases and controls. Vaccination of the parents after pregnancy or less than 14days before delivery did not protect infants from pertussis. Tdap5 vaccination in pregnancy between 27 and 36weeks' gestation is highly effective at protecting young infants from pertussis. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05040802.

Influenza vaccination rates of expectant parents with neonatal intensive care admission

Objectives. To ascertain the rate of influenza immunization in pregnant couples whose infants required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and to clarify predictors for trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) use in this targeted parent population.Study design. During the 2005–07 influenza seasons, parents of NICU patients at two level III centers were surveyed about TIV after their infant's NICU admission. Data on immunization history, location of immunization, and other risk factors for influenza were assessed. Infant data including birth weight, gestational age, and multiple births were also obtained.Results. Seven hundred and eighty-six parents had infants in the NICU. Five hundred and forty-seven (69.5%) were surveyed. The overall parental rate of vaccination was 23.2% (127/547). The parental vaccination rate did not differ between years (23.2% vs. 23.2%). Mothers were less likely to have received TIV prior to delivery than fathers (17.0% vs. 28.4%; p < 0.02). Of the population, 19.3% received immunization from their OB/GYN. A concordance rate of 8.9% was noted between married couples receiving TIV. More parents received TIV in January and February of the influenza seasons than November and December (p < 0.05, Student's t-test). Influenza immunization rate in NICU parents was unrelated to infant's gestational age, parental age, total number of risk factors for TIV, hospital length of stay, multiple gestation, or need for high risk obstetrical care.Conclusions. TIV rates among high-risk pregnant parents whose infants are admitted to NICU are lower than expected compared with the general population. Patient refusal of influenza vaccine is not a major obstacle toward acceptance.