Skip to main content
Book cover

The Clinician’s Vaccine Safety Resource Guide pp 353–364Cite as

Do Vaccines Cause Spontaneous Abortion?

Abstract

Vaccines currently routinely recommended for pregnant women in the U.S. have not been shown to cause spontaneous abortion (SAb). Although one study has suggested a possible increase in risk of SAb early in pregnancy following inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), other studies have not found an association and the results are not conclusive.

Keywords

  • Vaccine
  • Vaccines
  • Vaccinate
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccinations
  • Immunize
  • Immunization
  • Immunizations
  • United States
  • Information
  • Summary
  • Summaries
  • Safety
  • Adverse event
  • Adverse events
  • Adverse effect
  • Adverse effects
  • Association
  • Evidence
  • Causality
  • Spontaneous abortion
  • Miscarriage
  • Influenza
  • IIV

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-94694-8_54
  • Chapter length: 12 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-319-94694-8
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Grohskopf, L.A., et al., Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices-United States, 2018–19 Influenza Season. MMWR Recomm Rep, 2018. 67(3): p. 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Committee opinion no. 608: influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol, 2014. 124(3): p. 648–51.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  3. Farquharson, R.G., E. Jauniaux, and N. Exalto, Updated and revised nomenclature for description of early pregnancy events. Human Reproduction, 2005. 20(11): p. 3008–11.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  4. Donahue, J.G., et al., Association of spontaneous abortion with receipt of inactivated influenza vaccine containing H1N1pdm09 in 2010–11 and 2011–12. Vaccine, 2017. 35(40): p. 5314–22.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  5. Chambers, C.D., R. Xu, and A.A. Mitchell, Commentary on: "Association of spontaneous abortion with receipt of inactivated influenza vaccine containing H1N1pdm09 in 2010–11 and 2011–12". Vaccine, 2017. 35(40): p. 5323–4.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  6. Steinhoff, M.C., et al., Year-round influenza immunisation during pregnancy in Nepal: a phase 4, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis, 2017. 17(9): p. 981–9.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  7. Chambers, C.D., et al., Risks and safety of pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine in pregnancy: birth defects, spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age infants. Vaccine, 2013. 31(44): p. 5026–32.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  8. Chambers, C.D., et al., Safety of the 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, and 2013–14 seasonal influenza vaccines in pregnancy: Birth defects, spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age infants, a study from the cohort arm of VAMPSS. Vaccine, 2016. 34(37): p. 4443–9.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  9. Chavant, F., et al., The PREGVAXGRIP Study: a Cohort Study to Assess Foetal and Neonatal Consequences of In Utero Exposure to Vaccination Against A(H1N1)v2009 Influenza. Drug Safety, 2013. 36(6): p. 455–65.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  10. Huang, W.T., et al., Safety of inactivated monovalent pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination during pregnancy: a population-based study in Taiwan. Vaccine, 2014. 32(48): p. 6463–8.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  11. Ludvigsson, J.F., et al., Maternal vaccination against H1N1 influenza and offspring mortality: population based cohort study and sibling design. Bmj, 2015. 351: p. h5585.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  12. Ma, F., et al., Prospective cohort study of the safety of an influenza A(H1N1) vaccine in pregnant Chinese women. Clin Vaccine Immunol, 2014. 21(9): p. 1282–7.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  13. Oppermann, M., et al., A(H1N1)v2009: A controlled observational prospective cohort study on vaccine safety in pregnancy. Vaccine, 2012. 30(30): p. 4445–52.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  14. Pasternak, B., et al., Vaccination against pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza in pregnancy and risk of fetal death: cohort study in Denmark. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 2012. 344.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  15. Tavares, F., et al., Pregnancy and safety outcomes in women vaccinated with an AS03-adjuvanted split virion H1N1 (2009) pandemic influenza vaccine during pregnancy: A prospective cohort study. Vaccine, 2011. 29(37): p. 6358–65.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  16. Irving, S.A., et al., Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine and Spontaneous Abortion. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2013. 121(1): p. 159–65.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  17. Sammon, C.J., et al., Evaluating the hazard of foetal death following H1N1 influenza vaccination; a population based cohort study in the UK GPRD. PLoS One, 2012. 7(12): p. e51734.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  18. Heikkinen, T., et al., Safety of MF59-adjuvanted A/H1N1 influenza vaccine in pregnancy: a comparative cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2012. 207(3): p. 177.e1–8.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  19. de Vries, L., et al., Adjuvanted A/H1N1 (2009) influenza vaccination during pregnancy: description of a prospective cohort and spontaneously reported pregnancy-related adverse reactions in the Netherlands. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol, 2014. 100(10): p. 731–8.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  20. McMillan, M., et al., Influenza vaccination during pregnancy: a systematic review of fetal death, spontaneous abortion, and congenital malformation safety outcomes. Vaccine, 2015. 33(18): p. 2108–17.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  21. Bednarczyk, R.A., D. Adjaye-Gbewonyo, and S.B. Omer, Safety of influenza immunization during pregnancy for the fetus and the neonate. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2012. 207(3): p. S38–S46.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  22. Bratton, K.N., et al., Maternal influenza immunization and birth outcomes of stillbirth and spontaneous abortion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Infect Dis, 2015. 60(5): p. e11–9.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  23. Eaton, A., et al., Birth outcomes following immunization of pregnant women with pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine 2009–2010. Vaccine, 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Angelo, M.G., et al., Pooled analysis of large and long-term safety data from the human papillomavirus-16/18-AS04-adjuvanted vaccine clinical trial programme. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 2014. 23(5): p. 466–79.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  25. Baril, L., et al., Risk of spontaneous abortion and other pregnancy outcomes in 15–25 year old women exposed to human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in the United Kingdom. Vaccine, 2015. 33(48): p. 6884–91.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  26. Bonde, U., et al., Is HPV vaccination in pregnancy safe? Hum Vaccin Immunother, 2016. 12(8): p. 1960–4.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  27. Dana, A., et al., Pregnancy outcomes from the pregnancy registry of a human papillomavirus type 6/11/16/18 vaccine. Obstet Gynecol, 2009. 114(6): p. 1170–8.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  28. Forinash, A.B., et al., Safety of the HPV Bivalent and Quadrivalent Vaccines During Pregnancy. Ann Pharmacother, 2011. 45(2): p. 258–62.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  29. Garland, S.M., et al., Pregnancy and infant outcomes in the clinical trials of a human papillomavirus type 6/11/16/18 vaccine: a combined analysis of five randomized controlled trials. Obstet Gynecol, 2009. 114(6): p. 1179–88.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  30. Goss, M.A., et al., Final report on exposure during pregnancy from a pregnancy registry for quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine. Vaccine, 2015. 33(29): p. 3422–8.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  31. Panagiotou, O.A., et al., Effect of bivalent human papillomavirus vaccination on pregnancy outcomes: long term observational follow-up in the Costa Rica HPV Vaccine Trial. Bmj, 2015. 351: p. h4358.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  32. Scheller, N.M., et al., Quadrivalent HPV Vaccination and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. N Engl J Med, 2017. 376(13): p. 1223–33.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  33. Wacholder, S., et al., Risk of miscarriage with bivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18: pooled analysis of two randomised controlled trials. Bmj, 2010. 340: p. c712.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  34. Vichnin, M., et al., An Overview of Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Safety: 2006 to 2015. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2015. 34(9): p. 983–91.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Badilla, X., et al., Fetal risk associated with rubella vaccination during pregnancy. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2007. 26(9): p. 830–5.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  36. Sato, H.K., et al., Rubella vaccination of unknowingly pregnant women: the Sao Paulo experience, 2001. J Infect Dis, 2011. 204 Suppl 2: p. S737–44.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  37. Tookey, P.A., et al., Rubella vaccination in pregnancy. CDR (Lond Engl Rev), 1991. 1(8): p. R86–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Makris, M.C., et al., Safety of hepatitis B, pneumococcal polysaccharide and meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines in pregnancy: a systematic review. Drug Saf, 2012. 35(1): 1–14.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  39. Badell, M.L., et al., Risks Associated With Smallpox Vaccination in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol, 2015. 125(6): p. 1439–51.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  40. Mosby, L.G., S.A. Rasmussen, and D.J. Jamieson, 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in pregnancy: a systematic review of the literature. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2011. 205(1): p. 10–18.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  41. Rasmussen, S.A., D.J. Jamieson, and T.M. Uyeki, Effects of influenza on pregnant women and infants. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2012. 207(3, Supplement): p. S3–S8.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  42. Calleja-Agius, J., et al., Pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in threatened miscarriages. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2011. 205(1): p. 83.e8–83.e16.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  43. Lissauer, D., et al., Profile of maternal CD4 T-cell effector function during normal pregnancy and in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. Clinical Science, 2014. 126(5): p. 347–54.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  44. Christiansen, O.B., H.S. Nielsen, and A.M. Kolte, Inflammation and miscarriage. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2006. 11(5): p. 302–8.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  45. Christian, L.M., et al., Inflammatory responses to trivalent influenza virus vaccine among pregnant women. Vaccine, 2011. 29(48): p. 8982–7.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  46. Christian, L.M., et al., Proinflammatory cytokine responses correspond with subjective side effects after influenza virus vaccination. Vaccine, 2015. 33(29): p. 3360–6.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  47. Yang, J., et al., CD4+ T cells recognize unique and conserved 2009 H1N1 influenza hemagglutinin epitopes after natural infection and vaccination. International Immunology, 2013. 25(8): p. 447–57.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  48. Schmidt, T., et al., CD4+T-cell immunity after pandemic influenza vaccination cross-reacts with seasonal antigens and functionally differs from active influenza infection. European Journal of Immunology, 2012. 42(7): p. 1755–66.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  49. Belongia, E.A., et al., Repeated annual influenza vaccination and vaccine effectiveness: review of evidence. Expert Rev Vaccines, 2017. 16(7): p. 1–14.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  50. Feng, J., et al., Antibody quantity versus quality after influenza vaccination. Vaccine, 2009. 27(45): p. 6358–62.

    CAS  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  51. Sasaki, S., et al., Influence of prior influenza vaccination on antibody and B-cell responses. PLoS One, 2008. 3(8): p. e2975.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiologist, Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Matthew Z. Dudley PhD, MSPH

  2. Professor, Departments of International Health and Health, Behavior and Society, Director, Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Daniel A. Salmon PhD, MPH

  3. Professor Emeritus, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Director Emeritus, Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Neal A. Halsey MD

  4. Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, Global Health, and Epidemiology, Emory University, Associate Director, Emory Vaccine Center, Director, Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (Emory-UGA CEIRS), Former President, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), Atlanta, GA, USA

    Walter A. Orenstein MD, DSc (Hon)

  5. Associate Director for Behavioral Research, Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Rupali J. Limaye PhD, MPH, MA

  6. Associate Professor, Pediatrics-Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA

    Sean T. O’Leary MD, MPH

  7. William H. Foege Professor of Global Health, Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Saad B. Omer MBBS, PhD, MPH

Authors
  1. Matthew Z. Dudley PhD, MSPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel A. Salmon PhD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Neal A. Halsey MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Walter A. Orenstein MD, DSc (Hon)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Rupali J. Limaye PhD, MPH, MA
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sean T. O’Leary MD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Saad B. Omer MBBS, PhD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Dudley, M.Z. et al. (2018). Do Vaccines Cause Spontaneous Abortion?. In: The Clinician’s Vaccine Safety Resource Guide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94694-8_54

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94694-8_54

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94693-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94694-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)