Correlations between attitudes towards the COVID‐19 vaccine and psychiatric symptoms among pregnant women

• Published in: International journal of gynecology and obstetrics 2023-07, Vol.162 (1), p.88-94
• Main Authors: Ayık, Batuhan, Yılmaz, Salih
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: attitude; COVID‐19 pandemic; COVID‐19 vaccines; obsessive–compulsive symptoms; pregnancy
• ISSN: 0020-7292; 1879-3479
• DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14647

Objective As data continue to show that COVID‐19 vaccines are safe for pregnant women, determining the factors that affect their attitudes towards vaccines has become increasingly important. Pregnancy increases the risk of depressive and obsessive–compulsive (OC) symptoms. We aimed to determine the correlations between psychiatric symptoms and attitudes towards vaccination in pregnant women. Methods A total of 100 pregnant women were enrolled in the present cross‐sectional study. We used a standard data form to obtain the participants' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The Attitudes Towards the COVID‐19 Vaccine Scale, the Maudsley Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS‐21) were used to measure attitudes towards vaccination and psychiatric symptoms. We then investigated the correlations between the scale scores. Results There was a significant correlation between positive, negative, and total attitudes towards vaccines and MOCI total and subscale scores. According to the linear regression model, variables of MOCI total score, planned/unplanned pregnancy, and age were determined as the predictors for vaccination attitudes towards COVID‐19 vaccines. Conclusion Increased OC symptoms seem to be associated with negative attitudes towards vaccination. It is important to screen pregnant women with lower vaccination rates for OC symptoms more carefully. A multidisciplinary approach would be beneficial to increase vaccination rates. Synopsis There are significant challenges in relation to COVID‐19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women. We found that the attitudes of pregnant women towards the vaccines are associated with obsessive–compulsive symptoms.