Infant outcomes among pregnant women who used oseltamivir for treatment of influenza during the H1N1 epidemic.

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to examine the association between maternal oseltamivir treatment for influenza and infant outcomes during the 2009 HINI influenza pandemic.

STUDY

DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study using a population-based maternal newborn database including women who gave birth to a singleton infant in the Canadian province of Ontario from November 2009 through April 2010. Risks of small for gestational age (SGA) (10th percentile and 3rd percentile), preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation), very preterm birth (<32 weeks of gestation), and 5-minute Apgar score <7 associated with maternal exposure to oseltamivir were analyzed by multivariable regression.

RESULTS

A total of 55,355 women with a singleton birth were included in this study. Among them, 1237 (2.2%) women received oseltamivir for treatment or prevention of influenza during pregnancy. Women who took oseltamivir during pregnancy were less likely to have a SGA infant based on the 10th percentile for growth (adjusted risk ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.98). No association between maternal use of oseltamivir with SGA on 3rd percentile, preterm birth, very preterm birth, and low Apgar score was observed.

CONCLUSION

There is no evidence of an association between maternal use of oseltamivir for influenza and early birth, low Apgar at birth, and poor fetal growth.