Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Patterns Among Pregnant Women in New Mexico

Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, but half of the pregnant women in the United States remain unvaccinated. Vaccine coverage in U.S.-Mexico border states has not been examined in depth even though risk factors for low vaccine coverage exist in these states, especially in the counties bordering Mexico.

Using 2012-2014 New Mexico (NM) Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System data, this study examined the weighted annual seasonal influenza vaccination rates and the relationship of various factors to vaccination among NM residents with a live birth during those years.

Among respondents, 53.8% were Hispanic, 15.7% were Native American, and 30.5% were non-Hispanic White. The vaccination rate in NM increased from 49.0% in 2012 to 64.8% in 2014. The adjusted odds of vaccination were higher among women whose health care provider recommended/offered vaccination during the year prior to delivery compared to women whose provider did not (AOR = 11.92, 95% confidence interval [CI: 9.86, 14.42]) and among those living in the U.S.-Mexico nonborder counties compared to those living in the border counties (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI [1.18, 1.25]).

Efforts to increase the vaccination rate among pregnant women in border states should concentrate on health care providers and the highest risk women, such as those resident in the border region.