Comprehensive Overview of Vaccination during Pregnancy in Europe

Simionescu, Anca Angela; Streinu‐Cercel, Anca; Popescu, Florin‐Dan; Stănescu, Ana Maria Alexandra; Vieru, Mariana; Danciu, Bianca; Miron, Victor Daniel; Săndulescu, Oana

doi:10.3390/jpm11111196

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 157 publications

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“…With an increasing number of pregnant women getting the COVID-19 vaccination throughout their pregnancy and recent studies confirming the safety of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in pregnancy [9], disinformation tactics during the COVID-19 pandemic can discourage pregnant women from obtaining it [10]. Therefore, in December 2021, less than 50% of the Romanian population was vaccinated with two vaccine doses [11], and only around 30% of pregnant women currently decide to get vaccinated regardless of obstetricians encouraging them to vaccinate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Romanian Pregnant Women

et al. 2022

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Universal COVID-19 immunization is seen as a critical approach for limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and reducing the danger of new variations emerging in the general population, especially in pregnant women. The literature and accessible research data indicate that vaccination intentions vary greatly by country, with Romania ranking among the European nations with the lowest vaccination rates. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and extent of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women in Romania and the factors influencing their decision. A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women referred to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Timisoara Municipal Emergency Hospital in Romania. Participants were asked to complete the validated VAX scale about vaccine hesitancy and to report their willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and their reasons for hesitancy. The group of 184 pregnant women who completed the survey recorded significantly more hesitant respondents than the non-pregnant group with 161 respondents (52.2% vs. 40.3%). They had significantly higher average scores in all VAX scale subsections, while 78.1% of them gave credits to social media for their COVID-19 vaccination decision, compared with 63.0% of non-pregnant women. The independent risk factors for hesitancy were determined as not being afraid of COVID-19 OR = 1.89, below-average income OR = 2.06, trusting social media rumors OR = 2.38, not believing in SARS-CoV-2 existence OR = 2.67, and being a vaccination non-believer OR = 3.15. We advocate for pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and for the development of targeted campaigns to address the factors of hesitation. This research emphasizes the critical need for delivering the COVID-19 immunization to the whole community, including pregnant women who may have vaccine-related concerns.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Romanian Pregnant Women

et al. 2022

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“…During pregnancy, many dynamic changes occur to prevent adverse immune reactions to the fetus and to protect both the mother and fetus from infections, but it is still unclear how these immune responses contribute to changes in infection risk [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. It was hypothesized that the physiological immune modulation that occurs during pregnancy might make pregnant females more susceptible to viral infections with possible, in certain circumstances, serious consequences such as embryo/fetus loss [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Risk of Spontaneous Abortion Does Not Increase Following First Trimester mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

Citu

Cîtu

Gorun

et al. 2022

JCM

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Clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines initially excluded pregnant women due to safety concerns, and when the vaccines were authorized for emergency use, they were not recommended for this population. However, observational studies discovered that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 have higher risks of negative pregnancy and delivery outcomes compared to non-pregnant women, raising the question of the risks–benefits of administering COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women. By mid-2021, there was general consensus on the relative safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy; therefore, it is critical to investigate the safety issues related to these vaccines, considering the increasing acceptance among pregnant women. To address these concerns, we developed a research project to study the short-term effects and outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy. Our research followed an observational retrospective design for 12 months from the beginning of the vaccination campaign, and included 124 cases of spontaneous abortions and 927 ongoing pregnancies. The odds of spontaneous abortion were non-significant for both versions of the mRNA vaccine (Pfizer BNT162b2 AOR = 1.04, CI = 0.91–1.12; Moderna mRNA-1273 AOR = 1.02, CI = 0.89–1.08). Overall, our data indicated that the risk of spontaneous abortion after mRNA COVID-19 immunization during the first trimester of pregnancy is commensurate with the predicted risk in non-vaccinated pregnant women. These findings contribute to the growing body of information regarding the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.

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“… [25] Pregnant women represent a target group for vaccination prophylaxis, and any of the inactivated influenza vaccines can and should be safely administered in any trimester of pregnancy. [ 26 27 ] In the analyzed season, in Romania, only 0.1% (approx. 1300 doses) of influenza vaccines provided free by the Ministry of Health were administered to pregnant women.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circulation of influenza A viruses among patients hospitalized for severe acute respiratory infection in a tertiary care hospital in Romania in the 2018/19 season

et al. 2021

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The seasonal circulation of influenza viruses and the impact that this infection has on the population varies from year to year. We have prospectively captured hospital-based surveillance data describing the circulation of influenza viruses and characterizing patients with influenza admitted to a tertiary hospital in Bucharest, Romania in the 2018/19 season. We have conducted an observational descriptive epidemiological study analyzing all consecutive patients hospitalized for influenza like illness or severe acute respiratory infection at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Prof. Dr. Matei Balş”, Bucharest, Romania, from November 2018 to April 2019. For all patients we actively collected standardized clinical information and performed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing of respiratory samples to identify the presence of influenza viruses and to determine the subtype/lineage. A total of 1128 hospitalized patients were tested in this study, with an influenza positivity rate of 41.2% (n = 465). We identified an exclusive circulation of influenza A viruses (A/H1 – 57.2%, A/H3 – 29.3%, A not subtyped – 13.3%), with only 1 case of influenza B detected at the end of the season (week 18/2019). Children under 5 years of age accounted for the majority of cases (40%, n = 186), and all cases had a favorable evolution. Females were more likely to test positive for influenza (53.3%) compared to males (46.7%), P = .048, and presence of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increased the risk of influenza 4.4-fold and 2-fold, respectively ( P < .001 and P = .034). Thirteen influenza patients required hospitalization in intensive care and 5 deaths were recorded (1.1%). The vaccination rate for all patients included in the study was low (4.6%). The existence of chronic conditions or age over 65 years prolonged the hospitalization period with 2 days ( P < .001 each). In the 2018/19 season, we identified an important circulation of influenza A viruses among patients hospitalized for influenza like illness/severe acute respiratory infection in a tertiary care hospital in Romania, with a higher likelihood of affecting females and patients with pre-existing lung conditions. Monitoring of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of influenza virus infection is of great interest and should be done carefully each season to better inform on the necessary measures to limit the impact that this infection may have on risk groups.

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Comprehensive Overview of Vaccination during Pregnancy in Europe

Cited by 14 publications

References 157 publications

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Romanian Pregnant Women

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Romanian Pregnant Women

The Risk of Spontaneous Abortion Does Not Increase Following First Trimester mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

Circulation of influenza A viruses among patients hospitalized for severe acute respiratory infection in a tertiary care hospital in Romania in the 2018/19 season

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