COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance During Pregnancy in Europe

Abstract

Pregnant women have been shown to have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccination against the infection is the most effective strategy for preventing both severe disease and related complications. Nevertheless, vaccination hesitancy among pregnant women is an important issue affecting vaccine uptake and a major challenge for Public Health, as high rates of hesitancy can lead to complete refusal of vaccination, with health implications not only for the mother but also for the fetus. Based on the above, this review aims to capture the rates of vaccination against COVID-19 in pregnancy among European countries, from August 2020 to May 2022, as well as to highlight the predictive factors of its acceptance among pregnant women in these countries. The review of the available literature found that in Europe the acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19 among pregnant women varies with rates ranging from 21.3% to 87% for at least one dose and from 29.5% to 82.7%, for two doses of vaccine. Higher maternal education level, older age at pregnancy, previous vaccination against influenza and pertussis, positive attitude towards vaccines, and acceptance of vaccines during pregnancy are the most frequently reported positive predictors that are associated with higher vaccination rates. The information obtained from this study can contribute in the future, during epidemics or pandemics that may occur, to the development of targeted medical and communication strategies for the effective promotion of vaccination programs and the greatest possible coverage of the population, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women.