COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy: Factors influencing uptake by women

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 infection in pregnancy is associated with increased morbidity and mortality for the mother as well as complications for the baby. In July 2021, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommended that pregnant women should be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccines and routinely offered Pfizer vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. There is no evidence on the pregnant women’s perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine after this recommendation. AIM: The aim of this research was to map COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy acceptance, hesitancy and a change in original vaccination intentions. METHODS: A cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey was conducted in one area health service in New South Wales, including one large tertiary referral hospital and two smaller metropolitan hospitals. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS. RESULTS: During September 2021 to January 2022, 1103 women responded to the survey and 1,026 completed the questions, with the completion rate of 93%. Women who did not complete the survey beyond demographics (8%) or were not pregnant (3%) were excluded. The mean age of the women was 33.3 years and most were either in their second (31%) or third (49%) trimester of pregnancy. Around half of the women were having their first pregnancy (51%) and born in Australia (47%). The majority of women agreed that COVID-19 vaccine was important for their health (84%) and important to protect others in the community (81%). Although 66% of women reported that at some stage they felt unsure about having the vaccine, the majority (87%) of women had at least one dose of vaccine. CONCLUSION: This is the largest survey of pregnant women in Australia, providing evidence that acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy appears to be high among Australian women living in metropolitan areas.