Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Influenza causes significant mortality and morbidity in pregnant women and neonates especially in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with influenza and compare them with non-infected mothers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control single-center cohort study was conducted during the influenza season in 2022 and included all pregnant women with influenza during pregnancy. Baseline characteristics including age, body mass index, job, vaccination, and ethnicity were documented and outcomes including premature rupture of membranes (PROM), preterm labor, cesarean section, neonatal distress, and neonatal hospitalization were evaluated and compared with the control group. RESULTS: In this study 39 pregnant women in each case and control group were evaluated. There was no significant difference in demographic data between the two groups. None of the participants in the case group received the influenza vaccine during pregnancy. The rate of cesarean section (63.2% vs 43.5%), neonatal distress (38.5% vs 12.8%), and neonatal hospitalization (43.5% vs 15.3%) was significantly higher in the case group than in healthy women (P-value=0.022, 0.010, 0.006 respectively). Although, the rate of PROM was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.556). Preterm labor was higher in the case group than in the control group, but the difference was insignificant (P=0.135). CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest that pregnant women infected with influenza are at higher risk of neonatal complications and vaccination is helpful in these mothers as preventive measures to reduce complications.