Prevention of mother-to-infant transmission of influenza during the postpartum period.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

The optimal management of infants born to mothers with peripartum influenza infection is not known. The objective of this study is to describe our experience with a practice guideline that promotes rooming-in and breast-feeding and to determine whether infants managed in this way acquire influenza infection.

STUDY DESIGN:

All mothers diagnosed with influenza infection within 8 days of delivery and their infants were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcome data were collected. Mothers were contacted at ~1 month after giving birth to determine if their infants had developed any signs suggestive of influenza infection.

RESULTS:

Forty-two women were diagnosed with peripartum influenza over the 2003 to 2005 and 2009 to 2010 seasons. Median onset of symptoms was 3 days before delivery, and median day of diagnosis was 1 day before delivery. The 42 infants had a median gestational age of 39 weeks; none were born earlier than 35 weeks. Ninety-five percent of the infants roomed-in with their mothers. Follow-up information was available on 95% of infants by 1 month; no infants had illness suggestive of influenza through the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION:

A guideline for the management of infants born to mothers with peripartum influenza infection, based on attention to hand hygiene, antiviral treatment for mothers, and encouragement of rooming-in and breast-feeding, was not associated with mother-to-infant influenza transmission over three separate influenza seasons.

• Authors: Joseph B Cantey, Susan L Bascik, Nicholas G Heyne, Jon R Gonzalez, Gregory L Jackson, Vanessa L Rogers, Jeanne S Sheffield, Sylvia Treviño, Dorothy Sendelbach, George D Wendel, Pablo J Sánchez
• Journal: American journal of perinatology (Am J Perinatol) Vol. 30 Issue 3 Pg. 233-40 (Mar 2013) ISSN: 1098-8785 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22926635 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Breast Feeding
• Female
• Hand Hygiene
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical (prevention & control)
• Influenza, Human (drug therapy, prevention & control, transmission)
• Male
• Postpartum Period
• Practice Guidelines as Topic
• Retrospective Studies
• Rooming-in Care
• Young Adult