Respiratory Illness Hospitalizations Among Pregnant Women During Influenza Season, 1998–2008

To examine health care burden, pregnancy outcomes and impact of high risk medical conditions among pregnancy hospitalizations during influenza season. Length of stay, hospitalization charges, and delivery complications were compared between hospitalizations with and without respiratory illness and compared by presence of high risk medical conditions. Length of stay and hospital charges were significantly increased among respiratory illness hospitalizations versus non-respiratory hospitalizations. Among respiratory illness hospitalization, the odds of intrauterine fetal demise were increased (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.50, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.97–3.18). Among live births, there were higher odds of preterm delivery (aOR 3.82, 95 % CI 3.53–4.14), cesarean delivery (aOR 3.47, 95 % CI 3.22–3.74), and fetal distress (aOR 2.33, 95 % CI 2.15–2.52). The presence of high risk medical conditions did not impact pregnancy outcomes. Among pregnant women hospitalized during influenza season, those with respiratory illness were more likely than those without respiratory illness to have poor perinatal outcomes, regardless of the presence of high risk conditions. Efforts to minimize influenza morbidity, including universal vaccination and early antiviral therapy should be promoted among all pregnant women.