COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Vaccinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Pregnant individuals are a vulnerable population for COVID-19 complications.
• Understanding vaccine acceptance in this group is crucial for public health strategies.
• Pre-recommendation vaccine acceptance data provides a baseline for future interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptance rate of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among pregnant women before national recommendations.
• To identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance or hesitancy in pregnant women.
• To explore the role of health disparities in vaccine acceptance among pregnant individuals.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, Institutional Review Board-exempt study was conducted.
• Anonymous surveys were administered to 701 pregnant patients from February to May 2021.
• Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Fisher's exact test, and two-sample t-tests (p < 0.05 significance).

Main Results:

• Only 13.69% (96 out of 701) of pregnant women accepted the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Older pregnant women, those accepting flu/Tdap vaccines, and those with supportive household members were more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Pregnant women with underlying respiratory illnesses were less likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.

Conclusions:

• The study reveals a low acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women prior to official recommendations.
• Factors such as age, history of accepting other vaccines, and household influence play a role in vaccine acceptance.
• Targeted efforts are needed to encourage COVID-19 vaccination in this high-risk population to mitigate health risks.