Vaccination rates for pandemic influenza among pregnant women: An early observation from Chennai, South India.
BACKGROUND
World Health organization considers pregnancy as an important risk factor for severe illness due to pandemic influenza and recommends better vaccination coverage for them.


OBJECTIVE
This study was initiated to observe the vaccination rates among pregnant women in Chennai during 2 months following the availability of influenza vaccine in the region.


METHODS
An urban community-based setting. Questionnaire-based observational study design.


METHODS
Pregnant women residing in Chennai selected by simple random sampling formed the study population. The study was conducted from 15(th) to 30(th) November 2010. Each pregnant woman was interviewed using a uniform questionnaire.


METHODS
Characteristics between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants were compared using the Chi-square test or the Fisher exact test for categorical variables and Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables.


RESULTS
140 pregnant women were interviewed during the study period. The mean age of study participants was 25 years (range 21-35 years). 55% were less than 26 years of age and 65% were home makers. 32% had no basic school education. Of the 29 women with co-morbidities, 15 had gestational diabetes, 13 hypertension, 7 pre-eclampsia, and 7 had bronchial asthma. Fifty-eight had anemia diagnosed earlier or during current pregnancy. 32 (22.8%) were given advice to get vaccinated for pandemic influenza of which 18 (12.8%) received the vaccine.


CONCLUSIONS
Observations on vaccination rates for pandemic influenza among pregnant women in Chennai, 2 months after the initiation of vaccination program is not encouraging.
Department of Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Porur, Chennai, India.
Emmanuel
E
Bhaskar
S
S
Thobias
Syluvai
S
Anthony
Vinod
V
Kumar
Navaneethan