Individual‐level determinants of COVID‐19 vaccination in pregnant people in East Tennessee

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), during pregnancy poses an increased risk of severe maternal illness and death. 1 As compared with individuals with uninfected pregnancies, infection with COVID-19 during pregnancy increases the risk for preterm birth 2-4 and preterm birth via cesarean 3,5 ; premature rupture of membranes 5 ; lower neonatal Apgar score 5 ; venous thromboembolism 3 ; severe maternal morbidity 3 ; and maternal mortality. 1,2 Scientific evidence supporting the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy continues to accumulate, with the evidence to date overwhelmingly suggesting the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are safe and effective during pregnancy, and that vaccination reduces the risk of adverse obstetric outcomes. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among English-Speaking Pregnant Women Living in Rural Western United States

“…There are many studies on vaccine uptake and hesitancy in rural areas in the Global South (i.e., Kenya and Nepal), but very few studies in rural U.S. In a study of pregnant individuals in East Tennessee, where many participants might have lived in rural areas, partially or fully vaccinated patients were more likely to obtain information about COVID-19 from their obstetric providers and place their trust in them; belief in misinformation was also high in the unvaccinated group [ 32 ]. Similarly, misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccine recommendations among pregnant women and belief in misinformation were prevalent in remote Alaskan communities [ 33 ].…”

Editorial: Vaccinations and women's reproductive health

“…This special issue on ‘Vaccinations and Women's reproductive health’ highlights the importance of healthcare provider education, vaccination advisories and improvement of vaccination logistics to improve the accessibility and acceptance of vaccines by women 20–27 …”