title: Influenza vaccination during pregnancy and its usefulness to mothers and their young infants.
abstract: The current approach to protecting pregnant women from influenza infection and serious influenza-related complications is vaccination. It is, therefore, critical to evaluate the vaccine's safety, immunogenicity, and protection efficacy during pregnancy. However, because it is affected by previous influenza vaccination or infection, the efficacy of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine is difficult to evaluate in pregnant women. The A/H1N1pdm pandemic in 2009 provided us with the opportunity to evaluate the immunogenicity of the influenza vaccine unaffected by previous vaccinations or infections. Vaccination with inactivated influenza virus during pregnancy elicited neutralizing antibody titers that were sufficient and comparable to those of naturally infected individuals. Furthermore, post-pandemic surveys provided a wealth of definitive information on vaccine efficacy and safety. In addition, transplacental transfer of antibodies following vaccination protected newborn infants against influenza infection. With reports showing the effectiveness of influenza vaccine during pregnancy, it is suggested that influenza vaccination benefits both mothers and their young infants.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Center of Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan.
authors.forename: Michi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hisano
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Virology Division, 3-69, Nakamichi 1-chome, Higashinari-ku, Osaka 537-0025, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Komano
authors.affiliation: AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Center of Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sago
authors.affiliation: Center of Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan. Electronic address: yamaguchi-k@ncchd.go.jp.
authors.forename: Koushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Immunogenicity; Influenza; Pregnancy; Transplacental transfer; Vaccine; Vaccine safety