Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using PolyI:C to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring
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Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using PolyI:C to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring

Published on: August 17, 2022

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Individual-level determinants of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant people in East Tennessee

Samantha F Ehrlich1, Jill Maples2, Sara Burnette1

  • 1Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics: the Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
|February 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Pregnant individuals who received COVID-19 vaccines trusted their prenatal care providers more and encountered less misinformation. This highlights the need for targeted strategies to combat health misinformation in pregnancy.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Maternal Health
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses significant risks to pregnant individuals, increasing the likelihood of severe illness and mortality.
  • Understanding factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination decisions among pregnant populations is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify individual-level determinants associated with COVID-19 vaccination uptake among pregnant individuals in East Tennessee.
  • To compare information sources and trust levels between vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant individuals.

Main Methods:

  • The study utilized the online "Moms and Vaccines" survey, with advertisements distributed in prenatal clinics in Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • Data from 99 pregnant participants were analyzed, comparing determinants of vaccination status (unvaccinated vs. partially/fully vaccinated).

Main Results:

  • A significant majority (78.8%) of pregnant participants were partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
  • Vaccinated individuals reported higher trust in and more frequent information acquisition from their prenatal care providers compared to unvaccinated individuals (P < 0.0001).
  • The unvaccinated group showed higher exposure to misinformation, though concern for COVID-19 severity during pregnancy did not differ by vaccination status.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal care providers are key sources of trusted information for COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant individuals.
  • Countering pregnancy-specific health misinformation is critical to improve vaccination rates and mitigate risks associated with severe COVID-19.
  • Targeted strategies are needed to address misinformation and promote vaccine confidence in pregnant populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19 vaccinesacceptancehesitancymisinformationperceived riskpregnancytrust in medical providers

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