Maternal vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic:A qualitative interview study with UK pregnant women.
Emma Anderson, Amberly Brigden, Anna Davies and 2 others
PMID 34198208WHAT IT FOUND
Most pregnant women considered routine pertussis and influenza vaccines very important, but most were unwilling to volunteer for a new vaccine trial because of unknown risks to themselves and their baby.
Key findings
01Most women said routine pertussis and influenza vaccines were very important, mainly because they protect the baby and they trusted NHS advice.
02Some women said the pandemic heightened the importance of routine vaccines, while others reported difficulty getting a vaccine or not receiving information about influenza vaccination.
03Most participants were unwilling to personally take part in a new vaccine trial because of unknown risks to themselves and their baby, though five women described conditions under which they would consider it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This is a qualitative study of 31 women in one UK area, so it describes experiences and attitudes rather than proving what causes missed vaccination or how many pregnant women feel. The sample was relatively homogeneous in pro-vaccine views and may have over-represented university employees, so vaccine hesitancy may be under-represented. Interviews took place during the first two weeks of early UK lockdown, and the vaccine questions were added to a separate interview about social distancing. The new vaccine was hypothetical at the time, so attitudes may not match decisions after later safety data and policy changes. The paper says it is unclear whether access and communication problems were caused by the pandemic or by existing service issues.
Declared interests
The authors declared no known competing financial interests or personal relationships. Funding came from academic and research council sources, and the paper states that the funding bodies were not involved in the design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the pandemic caused missed vaccines or that pregnant women are broadly vaccine hesitant. The sample was mostly pro-vaccine, interviews were early in lockdown, and the paper says it is unclear whether access problems were pandemic-related or existing service issues.