COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in pregnant women.

Goncu Ayhan, Sule; Oluklu, Deniz; Atalay, Aysegul; Menekse Beser, Dilek; Tanacan, Atakan; Moraloglu Tekin, Ozlem; Sahin, Dilek

OBJECTIVE To determine pregnant women vaccine acceptance and hesitancy attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS Three hundred pregnant women were surveyed face to face with forty questions. Socio-demographic characteristics, vaccination history, perception of risk for the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, acceptance and attitude for future COVID-19 vaccination were prospectively evaluated. RESULTS Among all participants, 111 (37%) stated their intent to receive the vaccine if it were recommended for pregnant women. Most refusal reasons were; lack of data about COVID-19 vaccine safety in pregnant population and possibility of harm to the fetus. There was a weak positive correlation between COVID-19 vaccine acceptancy and number of school-age children. Pregnant women in first trimester expressed higher acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination than second and third trimester. CONCLUSION The present study reported low acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of pregnant women. Concern about vaccine safety was the major hesitancy reason. Identifying attitudes among priority groups will be useful to create vaccination strategies in the prevention current pandemic.