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Shaelynn Simonson
BIO 1615
November 15, 2014
Summary: Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Pregnant Women United States,
201314 Influenza Season
This article talks about the influenza vaccination and how important it is between
the years 2013 and 2014. I focused mainly on the sections that gave information and
statistics for pregnant women who did or didnt get the vaccination during their
pregnancies. Scientists did several tests to determine the real effect of the vaccination on
the pregnant woman herself and the unborn infant. They also performed surveys to
determine what factors effected whether a woman got the vaccination or not.
The scientific tests gave information confirming the positive effects of the
vaccination and the health of the mother and child. The influenza vaccination among
pregnant women can reduce their risk for respiratory illness and reduce the risk for
influenza in their infants aged <6 months. The Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
both recommend that women who are pregnant or could be pregnant during the influenza
season, no matter the trimester, should get the vaccination. One of their first surveys
performed revealed that only 52.2% of women reported receiving the vaccination before
or during their pregnancies.
Their next survey asked women three questions: their vaccination status before
and during their pregnancy, whether they received recommendation or an offer of the
vaccination from their clinician, and their attitude toward the vaccination. The one that
had the biggest effect was whether they received recommendation or offer from their

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clinician: 65.1% received both a recommendation and an offer, 15.1% received just a
recommendation, and 19.8% didnt receive either. Thus, the coverage percentages of
these women reflected whether they got those services, those percentages were 70.5%,
32.0%, and 9.7%.
They then performed another survey to determine what factors effected whether a
woman got the vaccination. The top reasons women got vaccinated were to protect their
infant from influenza (31.1%), to protect themselves from influenza (23.3%), and
because their clinician recommended the influenza vaccination (14.8%). On the other
hand, the top reasons women didn't get the vaccination were a concern that the
vaccination would give them influenza (16.8%), possible safety risks to their infant if
they got vaccinated (14.4%), and the belief that they themselves did not need the
vaccination (12.2%).
Discussion
Further study found that when influenza vaccination coverage of the four races
non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic or other race were
compared, the one with the lowest coverage was the non-Hispanic black group. Scientists
tried to determine why this statistic is true and came up with the following reasons:
weaker or less effective clinician recommendations and relationships with their clinicians,
moralities within their culture, less awareness, misperception of effectiveness and safety,
and hesitance to the vaccination.
Another study discovered that women with one or more of the following
characteristics had a significantly lower coverage concerning the influenza vaccination:
18-24 years old, les than a college degree, single, no medical insurance, below the

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poverty threshold, reported living in conditions with low risk of influenza, having fewer
than 6 visits to a medical center, and those with a negative attitude towards the
vaccination. It is obvious for some of the previous characteristics that a woman wouldnt
have had the vaccination, mostly due to poor knowledge of it or not being able to pay for
it. One of the biggest groups who didnt receive coverage for influenza was younger
women. The biggest known reasons are because of how young they are and their lack of
awareness, insurance, and just a negative reaction to the vaccination.
There were a few flaws to these surveys and tests however. The vaccination was
self reported by the mother and no medical validation was included. They only included
women in the U.S. who also had internet access, no one outside the U.S. or anyone who
had no internet access. And last, the composite variables considered for attitudes toward
influenza vaccination and infections were not validated, again simply given by the
mothers themselves.
The article concludes by giving clinicians tips for requesting and offering the
influenza vaccination. A few included a clinical reminder system for the doctors and
patients and expanded access to the vaccination. The biggest and most emphasized tip
given to them was the fact that they need to stress that the vaccination is completely safe
for them and their infant.

Bibliography:
Helen Ding, Carla L. Black, Sarah Ball, et. al. Influenza Vaccination Coverage among
Pregnant Women United States, 201314 Influenza Season.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6337.pdf. 19 September 2014