(1016) Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy

Pregnant people are less likely than non-pregnant people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine despite clear maternal and neonatal benefits. We sought to elucidate factors that motivate pregnant people in their vaccination decision and assess confidence in vaccine information sources.

Study Design:

This cross-sectional study utilized a 15-minute REDcap survey to assess COVID-19 vaccine status and attitudes. Pregnant patients presenting for prenatal care at two academic clinics between January and March 2022 were eligible and randomly selected for enrollment. The survey was offered in English and Spanish, and utilized self-report measures. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Differences in the demographics and survey questions stratified by groups were examined using t-test, and chi-square or Fisher’s exact test.

Results:

Of 120 eligible patients, 81 completed the survey (67.5%). Of these, 44 (54.3%) were unvaccinated. Differences in race/ethnicity, country of origin, and level of education were observed between unvaccinated and vaccinated groups (Table). Compared to vaccinated patients, unvaccinated individuals were significantly less confident in vaccine safety and efficacy (Table). The leading source of vaccine information for unvaccinated vs. vaccinated participants was family members or friends (48 vs 62%), followed by their OB/GYN (39 vs. 19%), the news (34 vs. 16%), and social media (32 vs 11%, Table). The majority of survey participants (72.8%) agreed or strongly agreed they could trust their OB/GYN regarding the vaccine. Among unvaccinated participants, 91% (n=40) had no intention of getting vaccinated regardless of pregnancy status citing concern for “harming my baby” (52.5%) and “effectiveness” (47.5%, Figure) as primary reasons for declining.

Conclusion: Uncertainty about vaccine safety and effectiveness is a common concern among unvaccinated pregnant people. Future efforts should capitalize on the high degree of trust in OB/GYNs to combat potential vaccine misinformation or lack of knowledge.