Lessons learned from the A (H1N1) Influenza Pandemic

Vousden, Nicola; Knight, Marian

Influenza in pregnancy is a common condition that is associated with increased risk of hospital admission. Women with comorbidities are at greater risk of severe outcomes. There are substantial gaps in our knowledge of the impact of severe influenza on perinatal outcomes, especially in low and middle-income countries, but preterm birth, fetal death, infant respiratory infection and hospital admission may be increased. Thus, influenza is major burden on health services. Immunisation is cost-effective, safe and effective at preventing influenza in pregnant women and their infants but policies and uptake vary worldwide. Operational challenges and concern over the safety, efficacy and necessity of the immunisation are common and there is a lack of evidence on how to overcome these barriers. This review identifies learning points relevant to the current COVID-19 pandemic through describing the epidemiology and impact of seasonal and A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza in pregnancy, alongside the effectiveness and use of immunisation.