Concomitant influenza and pertussis vaccination safe during pregnancy, study finds

A large NCIRS study of almost 14,000 pregnant people in New South Wales has identified no safety concerns associated with receiving influenza and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines on the same day during pregnancy.  

Published in JAMA Network Open, the study examined pregnancy, birth and neonatal outcomes among women who received both vaccines at the same visit, compared with women who received the pertussis vaccine alone at a similar stage of pregnancy.  

Researchers identified no increased risk in any of the assessed adverse outcomes when influenza and pertussis vaccines were given together during pregnancy. These outcomes included preterm birth, babies being small for gestational age, and low birthweight.  

‘These findings provide reassuring evidence that receiving influenza and pertussis vaccines on the same day during pregnancy is safe for both mother and baby,’ lead author and NCIRS Senior Research Officer, Nicole Sonneveld, said.  

Vaccination during pregnancy is an important way to protect pregnant women and newborns from serious infectious diseases. While pertussis vaccine coverage during pregnancy in Australia is relatively high, uptake of influenza vaccination remains lower and improvement is needed.  

NCIRS Associate Director Professor Bette Liu said the results will assist immunisation providers to have informed conversations with pregnant women.  

She also indicated that the findings may contribute to improved vaccine uptake by addressing concerns about concomitant vaccine safety and reducing the need for multiple vaccination appointments.  

‘Our study reaffirms the safety of concomitant influenza and pertussis vaccination during pregnancy, and immunisation providers should feel confident in being able to recommend having the vaccines at the same time,’ concluded Professor Liu.  

The study used linked data from perinatal and immunisation registers and hospitalisation data to assess outcomes following vaccination. Women were carefully matched based on vaccination timing, gestation and maternal age, allowing for a robust comparison between the 2 groups.
 

Access the study