Kiwi Maternity Immunisation Study Changing Global Guidelines - International Expert

Kiwi Maternity Immunisation Study Changing Global Guidelines - International Expert

27 February 2017, 1:49PM
Impact PR

A pioneering New Zealand study has changed global guidelines on maternal vaccinations for diseases such as whooping cough and influenza according to an international immunology expert visiting NZ.

Dr Thomas Breuer, GSK Vaccines chief medical officer says the Pertussis in Pregnancy study (PIPs) conducted by leading Kiwi vaccination researchers has paved the way for a global change in maternal vaccination guidelines.

The study evaluated health outcomes in infants of mothers previously immunised with a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine who then received a booster vaccine during pregnancy. The research found that vaccination with Tdap in pregnant women was well tolerated with no serious adverse events likely to be caused by the vaccine[1].

Dr Breuer says as a result of the study, there is a global movement towards immunisation strategies for pregnant women. These are aimed at protecting both pregnant women and newborns from infectious diseases such as whooping cough (pertussis) and influenza. NZ is at the forefront of generating the data behind this movement.

“The groundbreaking New Zealand study is responsible for the new and innovative vaccination guidelines that are being implemented internationally. Kiwi scientists are well-respected globally and the research they are undertaking here is changing world views on immunisation,” he says.

Dr Breuer says maternal vaccination works by ensuring a pregnant woman’s immune system is “boosted” by the vaccine. The high levels of the refreshed antibodies pass through the placenta, to the baby prior to birth, so the infant continues to be covered in its first vulnerable weeks of life by its mother’s antibodies.

Dr Breuer says while NZ is leading the way in the research we are beginning to lag behind other parts of the world in the number of women choosing to vaccinate during pregnancy.

Whooping cough can be a serious threat to infants not yet fully vaccinated leading to hospitalisations and death.
 
Dr Thomas Breuer. Photo courtesy of Impact PR

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health funds vaccination against whooping cough for all pregnant women from 28-38 weeks’ gestation.

However, the NZ figure for maternal immunisation is estimated to be as low as 13%1 compared to almost 80% in parts of Australia and 70% in the UK5.

A recent Ministry of Health survey[2] found a lack of accessible information and advice on vaccination were the most commonly reported barriers to immunisation during pregnancy. The research also found women’s beliefs and motivation to be immunised varied and, were also potential obstacles to vaccination during pregnancy for flu and whooping cough.

New Zealand has undergone three pertussis epidemics in the last 15 years. In the most recent, from 2011 to 2014, there were on average 102 cases of pertussis per 100,000 population, with the primary burden of disease in infants aged six months or less at a rate of 801 per 100,0004.

In NZ during the most recent outbreak 2011-2013 there were three infant deaths due to pertussis[3]. Institute of Environmental Science and Research figures, show there were 124 confirmed cases of pertussis reported throughout New Zealand in December 2016[4].

Dr Breuer says Kiwi mums need to be made aware of the vaccination strategies available to them and their babies to protect the infants in their first weeks of life.

The NZ Ministry of Health Immunisation Handbook also recommend that family and close contacts of infants are immunised to help prevent transmission of the infection which can be fatal in infants.


[1] Petousis-Harris H,Walls T, Watson D, et al.Safety of Tdap vaccine in
pregnant women: anobservational study. BMJOpen 2016;6:e010911.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010911
[2] https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/immunisation-pregnant-women-audience-research-pregnant-women
[3] http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/whooping-cough
[4] https://surv.esr.cri.nz/surveillance/monthly_surveillance.php?we_objectID=4521
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/572731/hpr4116_prntl-prtsss-vc.pdf. Accessed: 23/02/2017 

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