The PRotective Effect of Maternal Immunisation on preTerm birth: characterising the Underlying mechanisms and Role in newborn immune function: the PREMITUR study protocol

Michelle L Giles; Stephen Cole; Jessica O'Bryan; Sushena Krishnaswamy; Rym Ben-Othman; Nelly Amenyogbe; Mary-Ann Davey; Tobias Kollmann

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1212320

The PRotective Effect of Maternal Immunisation on preTerm birth: characterising the Underlying mechanisms and Role in newborn immune function: the PREMITUR study protocol

Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 20:14:1212320. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1212320. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Michelle L Giles^{1

2

3}, Stephen Cole⁴, Jessica O'Bryan⁵, Sushena Krishnaswamy^{1

5}, Rym Ben-Othman⁶, Nelly Amenyogbe⁶, Mary-Ann Davey¹, Tobias Kollmann⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
² Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³ Department of Obstetric Medicine and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Department of Paediatrics, Telethon Kids, Perth, WA, Australia.

Abstract

Maternal immunisation, a low cost and high efficacy intervention is recommended for its pathogen specific protection. Evidence suggests that maternal immunisation has another significant impact: reduction of preterm birth (PTB), the single greatest cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Our overarching question is: how does maternal immunisation modify the immune system in pregnant women and/or their newborn to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhance the newborn infant's capacity to protect itself from infectious diseases during early childhood? To answer this question we are conducting a multi-site, prospective observational cohort study collecting maternal and infant biological samples at defined time points during pregnancy and post-partum from nulliparous women. We aim to enrol 400 women and determine the immune trajectory in pregnancy and the impact of maternal immunisation (including influenza, pertussis and/or COVID-19 vaccines) on this trajectory. The results are expected to identify areas that can be targeted for future intervention studies.

Keywords: influenza; pertussis; pregnancy; preterm birth; vaccination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Immunity
Immunization*
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Observational Studies as Topic
Pregnancy
Premature Birth*
Prospective Studies

Grants and funding

This study is funded by the Australian Medical Research Future Fund (APP2007141). The funder has no role in the study design, data collection, data analyses, data interpretation, writing of the report or submitting of the report for publication.