Postpartum Interventions to Increase Maternal Vaccination Uptake: Is It Worth It?

Vaccination of pregnant and postpartum women for pertussis, influenza and COVID-19 not only protects themselves but also offspring. Despite the benefits of this approach, vaccination uptake remains suboptimal in pregnancy. Where the opportunity to be vaccinated in pregnancy is missed, the offer of vaccination in the post-partum period may be an alternative strategy. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the impact of interventions to increase vaccination uptake in the postpartum period on vaccination uptake.

A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, including interventional studies promoting vaccination uptake in postpartum women published between 2009 and 2024. The search was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and registered with PROSPERO.

We finally included 16 studies in the review, and the primary outcome was vaccination uptake in the postpartum period. The most significant factors for increasing uptake were recommendation from healthcare providers, type of interventions used, and delivery of vaccines in the maternity wards or the community.

In conclusion, maternal vaccination rates in the postpartum period may increase with targeted education by healthcare professionals and positive reinforcement. The interventions described in these studies could be applied in the healthcare systems worldwide.