Abstract
Purpose
to determine COVID-19 vaccination coverage among pregnant women and investigate the factors affecting vaccine uptake.
Design
Analytical cross-sectional study.
Setting
Palestinian health care facilities. Between October and November 2021 – eight months after the country’s first COVID-19 vaccination.
Sample
We needed 820 people to estimate vaccination coverage among pregnant women with a precision rate of 3%. Therefore, we invited 950 pregnant Palestinian women who were eligible and had a response rate of 91.6%.
Measures
An interviewer-administered questionnaire examined vaccination uptake, attitudes, and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Analysis
Bivariable and multivariable analysis using SPSS.
Results
vaccination uptake was reported by 219 pregnant women [25.5%, 95% CI: 22.6% −28.5%]. Knowledge (aOR=2.0; 95% CI: 1.2-3.1), perceived benefits (aOR=1.1; 95% CI: 1.06-1.16), employment (aOR=5; 95% CI: 3.1-8.1), and underlying medical condition (aOR=2.1; 95% CI: 1.1-4.1) predicted uptake. Reporting vaccine barriers reduces vaccine uptake (aOR=.92; 95% CI: .89-95).
Conclusions
Pregnant women’s COVID-19 vaccination rates are low. Concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for infants affected their decision. COVID-19 vaccination regulations and legislative nudges drove maternal vaccination. Vaccine fears and misconceptions among pregnant women should be addressed.
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