Maternal vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic:A qualitative interview study with UK pregnant women

• Published in: Midwifery 2021-09, Vol.100, p.103062-103062, Article 103062
• Main Authors: Anderson, Emma, Brigden, Amberly, Davies, Anna, Shepherd, Emily, Ingram, Jenny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Covid-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - psychology; COVID-19 Vaccines - administration & dosage; Female; Humans; Maternal health services; Maternal Health Services - standards; Pandemics; Pandemics - prevention & control; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Pregnant Women - psychology; Qualitative research; United Kingdom; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0266-6138; 1532-3099; 1532-3099
• DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103062

There is suboptimal uptake of recommended maternal vaccines (pertussis and influenza) during pregnancy in the UK. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare services, and potentially vaccine coverage, and brought the need for new vaccines to be tested and rolled out. To explore: i) the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on pregnant women's access to, and attitudes towards, routine maternal vaccines and; ii) women's attitudes towards testing Covid-19 vaccines on pregnant women and their personal willingness to take part in such a trial. Qualitative interview study with pregnant women in the Bristol and surrounding area (UK). Semi-structured telephone/videoconference interviews were conducted (following a topic guide), transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. Thirty-one pregnant women (selected for demographic range) were interviewed in April/May 2020. Participants felt the pandemic had elevated the importance of routine maternal vaccines, though women were concerned about safety management around appointment attendance. Women were wary of receiving a new Covid-19 vaccine, with most perceiving it as riskier than Covid-19 itself. It is important to maximise the safety and efficiency of maternity appointments to encourage uptake of routine maternal vaccines, and to communicate this well. For pregnant women to gain a new vaccine or participate in a vaccine trial, they need to be convinced that the risk posed by the virus is greater than any risk of receiving a new vaccine.