Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Apr;121(4):734-740.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31828642b1.

Improving influenza vaccination rates in pregnancy through text messaging: a randomized controlled trial

Michelle H Moniz  1 , Steve Hasley, Leslie A Meyn, Richard H Beigi
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Improving influenza vaccination rates in pregnancy through text messaging: a randomized controlled trial

Michelle H Moniz et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate whether text messages sent to ambulatory pregnant women could improve influenza vaccine uptake.

Methods: Obstetric patients at less than 28 weeks of gestation were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial from an academic center's outpatient clinic during two consecutive influenza seasons (2010-2011 and 2011-2012). Potential participants were excluded if they had already received that season's influenza vaccine. Participants were randomized to receive 12 weekly text messages encouraging general pregnancy health (General) or general pregnancy health plus influenza vaccination (Flu). Study participants completed preintervention and postintervention surveys about preventive health beliefs. Influenza vaccine receipt was assessed using prenatal record review. The study was powered to detect a 55% increase in the vaccination rate in the intervention group.

Results: Two hundred sixteen women were enrolled, 204 of whom were available for intention-to-treat analysis (n=100 General, n=104 Flu). Participants were primarily African American (66%) with low educational attainment (90% equivalent to or less than high school education) and predominantly with either public or no insurance (88%). The overall influenza vaccination rate among participants was 32% with no difference between participants in the General (31% [n=31]) compared with Flu (33% [n=34]) groups (difference 1.7%, 95% confidence interval -11.1 to 14.5%).

Conclusion: Text messaging prompts were not effective at increasing influenza vaccination rates among a low-income, urban, ambulatory obstetric population. Ongoing efforts are needed to improve vaccine uptake among pregnant women unsure about or unwilling to receive influenza vaccination.

Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01248520.

Level of evidence: : I.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Fiore AE, Uyeki TM, Broder K, Finelli L, Euler GL, Singleton JA, et al.. Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010. MMWR Recomm Rep 2010;59:1–62.
    1. Irving WL, James DK, Stephenson T, Laing P, Jameson C, Oxford JS, et al.. Influenza virus infection in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy: a clinical and seroepidemiological study. BJOG 2000;107:1282–9.
    1. Harris J. Influenza occurring in pregnant women: a statistical study of thirteen hundred and fifty cases. JAMA 1919;72:978–80.
    1. Greenberg M, Jacobziner H, Pakter J, Weisl BA. Maternal mortality in the epidemic of Asian influenza, New York City, 1957. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1958;76:897–902.
    1. Freeman DW, Barno A. Deaths from Asian influenza associated with pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1959;78:1172–5.

Publication types

Substances

Associated data