Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women--United States, 2014-15 Influenza Season

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 2015-09, Vol.64 (36), p.1000-1005
• Main Authors: Ding, Helen, Black, Carla L, Ball, Sarah, Donahue, Sara, Fink, Rebecca V, Williams, Walter W, Kennedy, Erin D, Bridges, Carolyn B, Lu, Peng-Jun, Kahn, Katherine E, Dean, Anna K, Grohskopf, Lisa A, Ahluwalia, Indu B, Devlin, Rebecca, DiSogra, Charles, Walker, Deborah K, Greby, Stacie M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1545-861X
• DOI: 10.3201/mmwr.mm6436a2

Pregnant women and infants are at increased risk for influenza-related complications and hospitalization. Influenza vaccination can reduce the risk for influenza-related illness among pregnant women and their infants. Since 2004, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have recommended influenza vaccination for all women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season, regardless of trimester of pregnancy. To assess influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant women during the 2014–15 influenza season, CDC analyzed data from an Internet panel survey conducted during March 31–April 6, 2015. Among 1,702 survey respondents who were pregnant at any time during October 2014–January 2015, 50.3% reported receiving influenza vaccination before or during pregnancy, similar to the reported coverage in the preceding season. Overall, 64.9% of respondents reported receiving a provider offer of influenza vaccination, 14.8% received a recommendation but no offer, and 20.3% received no recommendation. Vaccination coverage among these groups of women was 67.9%, 33.5%, and 8.5%, respectively. Reminder systems and standing orders that allow health care personnel other than the attending provider to assess vaccination status and administer vaccination, can help to ensure that influenza vaccination is recommended and offered to a pregnant woman at each provider visit to increase pregnant women’s vaccination coverage.