Influenza infections during pregnancy in the mouse

The effect of a sublethal dose (0-5 LD50) of influenza A/WSN (H0N1) administered intranasally in the 1st and 3rd weeks of pregnancy was studied in C3H inbred mice. Maternal and neonatal mortality rates were significantly increased by infections in the 3rd week of pregnancy, but not in the 1st week. Infections during the last part of the 1st week significantly depressed the growth rate of neonates. No evidence of viraemia, transplacental transmission or congenital malformations were observed from infections during either week. The results are discussed in terms of a possible model for human influenza infections during pregnancy to determine the potential risks to the mother, fetus and neonate.