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Health-care professionals are hesitant to administer the flu vaccine to pregnant women, despite the potential life-saving benefits, according to a UBC study.
The study also shows that pregnant women who were eager to get vaccinated had difficulties because health professionals turned them away.
"The World Health Organization and Health Canada have classified pregnant women as one of the highest at-risk groups of having serious complications following influenza infection," says Marie Tarrant, director of nursing at UBC's Okanagan campus. "Given this, the health-care community should work together to protect these moms and their infants. Flu vaccination is one of the best ways."
"This was a surprising finding."
Tarrant and her team, including co-author Valerie Wong of the University of Hong Kong, embarked on a research campaign to assess the effect of a brief flu vaccination education program targeted to pregnant women. The study was conducted in Hong Kong where vaccination rates are particularly low and there are two flu seasons.
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The study also shows that pregnant women who were eager to get vaccinated had difficulties because health professionals turned them away.
"The World Health Organization and Health Canada have classified pregnant women as one of the highest at-risk groups of having serious complications following influenza infection," says Marie Tarrant, director of nursing at UBC's Okanagan campus. "Given this, the health-care community should work together to protect these moms and their infants. Flu vaccination is one of the best ways."
"This was a surprising finding."
Tarrant and her team, including co-author Valerie Wong of the University of Hong Kong, embarked on a research campaign to assess the effect of a brief flu vaccination education program targeted to pregnant women. The study was conducted in Hong Kong where vaccination rates are particularly low and there are two flu seasons.
...