Implementation of the Recommendation to Vaccinate Pregnant Women against Seasonal Influenza – Vaccination Rates and Acceptance

Abstract

Pregnant women were interviewed using a standardized, pre-tested questionnaire and asked whether they were aware of the recommendation to vaccinate against seasonal influenza and about possible factors which might influence their decision to be vaccinated. In addition, data from their vaccination certificates and pregnancy passports were evaluated.Results Overall, the records of only 19.5 % of the pregnant women showed that they had been vaccinated against influenza in pregnancy.Among the group of pregnant women who had a previous history of vaccinations against influenza the willingness to be vaccinated was high (43.3 %) and this figure was statistically significant. The vaccination rate was even higher (49.9 %) and even more statistically significant among pregnant women whose gynecologist or family physician had recommended that they should be vaccinated. In contrast, only 3.3 % of pregnant women who had not been given the recommendation to vaccinate by their physicians were vaccinated against influenza.Discussion The failure to recommend that pregnant women be vaccinated against influenza and womenʼs lack of any previous experience of influenza vaccination were the main reasons for the inadequate influenza vaccination coverage in pregnancy.Conclusion One of the key points to increase the influenza vaccination rate is to intensify the counselling of the pregnant women through the gynecologist. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG EinleitungIn Deutschland werden die Impfempfehlungen jährlich

Knowledge about influenza and adherence to the recommendations for influenza vaccination of pregnant women after an educational intervention in Greece

“…Similarly, a history of vaccination recommendation was also significantly associated with higher vaccination rates by others. 7,8,11 Socioeconomic factors have been also found as associated with a higher probability to get vaccinated, 11 however this was not the case in this study.…”

“…This is in accordance with others. 7,9 In this study pregnant women who were already informed about the recommendation for influenza vaccination had a 17.8-fold increased probability to get vaccinated compared to those who were not informed. Similarly, a history of vaccination recommendation was also significantly associated with higher vaccination rates by others.…”

“…Low influenza vaccination rates among pregnant women have been also reported in Italy (9.7%), Germany (19.5%), Thailand (25%), and Spain (40.5%). 7,8,10,11 In the United States influenza vaccine uptake rate by pregnant women was 53.6% during the 2016-2017 season. 12 In this latter country, reported vaccine uptake rate was 70.5% when vaccination was offered by their healthcare provider, 43.7% when it was recommended but not offered and 14.8% when it was not recommended, 12 which underlines the role of healthcare professionals as well as of on-site vaccination.…”

“…[3][4][5][6] Despite the benefits of influenza vaccination during pregnancy for both mothers and young infants, influenza vaccine uptake rates by pregnant women remain low globally. [7][8][9][10][11][12] Studies indicate that main barriers to influenza vaccine acceptance in pregnancy are related to perceived risk of influenza to pregnant women and their fetus, to perceived vaccine safety and perceived vaccine efficacy. [13][14][15][16] In Greece influenza vaccination of pregnant women is recommended by the Ministry of Health since the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic however vaccine uptake rates remain extremely low (<2%).…”

Social and obstetric inequalities and vaccination in pregnant women

“…It is observed that higher numbers of prenatal consultations were associated with better records for such vaccine. The health caretaking provided during the prenatal period is directly related to pregnant women vaccination, and is a significant factor affecting directly vaccination coverage (31) . The knowledge learned by pregnant women about the protection afforded by the vaccine during the prenatal period is associated with better rates of vaccination coverage (22) .…”