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Vaccinations delayed in preterm, low birth weight infants
Preterm and low birth weight infants are at increased risk for vaccine-preventable diseases because they are less often timely vaccinated compared with full-term infants, according to recent study findings published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
The study included 883,747 children vaccinated with the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine and polio vaccine from 2006 to 2010. Vaccination was considered timely if performed within 70 days of birth. Groups were labeled for gestational age (extreme preterm, less than 32 weeks; preterm, 32 to 36 weeks; and full term, 37 or more weeks) and birth weight.
Researchers found that median vaccination age was lower with a high gestational age and birth weight. Sixty-six percent of extreme preterm infants were vaccinated timely compared with 76% of preterm infants and 82% of full-term infants. In 2006, 77% of patients were vaccinated timely compared with 85% in 2010.
“Our study showed a delay in the first immunization of preterm and low birth weight infants, but full term as well as normal birth weight infants also received their first vaccination later than recommended in 18% of the cases,” the researchers wrote. “As a result, infants are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable infections, such as pertussis. Although Dutch infants receive their first vaccination on time more often compared to other countries, further improvement is possible. Our study showed that previous efforts to increase vaccination timeliness have paid off. It is important to exert continued efforts in increasing the timeliness of vaccination.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
