Nearly 30% of reproductive-aged women hospitalized with influenza were pregnant during nine seasons, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Rachel Holstein, MPH, and colleagues described characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized pregnant patients with confirmed influenza (aged 15-44) during the 2010-2011 through 2018-2019 influenza seasons. Of 9,652 females hospitalized with influenza, 27.9% were pregnant. Median age of pregnant women was 28; 62% were in their third trimester and 42% had one or more underlying conditions. Thirty-two percent were vaccinated against influenza; most women (88%) received antiviral treatment. Overall, 5%, 2%, and 0.3% required ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and died, respectively. The likelihood of severe outcomes increased with influenza A H1N1 when compared with influenza A H3N2 (adjusted risk ratio, 1.9). At hospital discharge, 71% of women were still pregnant; of the 754 women no longer pregnant, 96% and 3% had a pregnancy resulting in live birth and experienced fetal loss, respectively. “These data highlight opportunities to improve influenza vaccine uptake among pregnant women,” the authors wrote.
