Self-reported prenatal influenza vaccination and early childhood vaccine series completion

No studies have examined associations between prenatal vaccination and childhood vaccination. Mothers who refuse influenza vaccinations during pregnancy report similar attitudes and beliefs to those who refuse vaccinations for their children. The objective of this study was to examine the association between self-reported prenatal influenza vaccination and early childhood vaccination.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with existing surveillance data from 4022 mothers who responded to the 2009-2011 Minnesota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey and child vaccination records from the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection database. The childhood vaccine series outcome included the following vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; poliovirus; measles, mumps, and rubella; Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B; varicella; and pneumococcal conjugate. To evaluate the association between self-reported prenatal influenza vaccination and early childhood vaccination, unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used to estimate log odds for childhood vaccination status, while margins post-estimation commands were used to obtain predicted probabilities and risk differences.

Vaccine series completion was 10.86% higher (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.33%-14.40%, adjusted and weighted model) in children of mothers who had a prenatal influenza vaccine compared to those who did not. For individual vaccines in the recommended series, risk differences ranged from 7.83% (95% CI 5.37%, 10.30%) for the Hib vaccine to 10.06% (95% CI 7.29%, 12.83%) for the hepatitis B vaccine.

Self-reported prenatal influenza vaccination was associated with increased early childhood vaccination. More research is needed to confirm these results and identify potential intervention strategies.