 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The most effective way to protect newborn babies from the flu virus may be to vaccinate new mothers and other family members while theyre in the hospital for the birth of the baby.
A study done by researchers at Duke Childrens Hospital in Durham, N.C., showed vaccinating new mothers and other family members against influenza before their newborns left the hospital created a cocooning effect that may prove useful in sheltering unprotected babies from the virus.
Text Continues Below
The Centers for Disease Control does not recommend newborns be vaccinated against influenza directly even though they are an at-risk group. Newborns have the highest rate of hospitalizations due to influenza when compared to any other age group of children. Their rates of influenza-related hospitalization are similar to people age 80 and older. And, in some seasons the influenza-associated mortality rate is highest among infants, Emmanuel Walter, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Duke Childrens Hospital, was quoted as saying.
Researchers found by offering educational materials about influenza and on-site vaccination centers at the hospital 16 percent more new mothers and family members were vaccinated than in places where these resources were not available. They also found as a result of their efforts 45 percent of new mothers who had not received a flu shot during pregnancy chose to be vaccinated at the hospital.
SOURCE: Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and the Infectious Diseases, 2008.
Studies show up to 20 percent of a childs IQ is influenced by prenatal and postnatal experience. Learn what you and your baby need before and after birth with these 15 compelling news reports produced by the leading medical news reporting team in the country. Click here to order the DVD, Your Baby: What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
