Vaccine Intentions and Attitudes toward the COVID-19 Vaccine among Pregnant Women in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination during pregnancy aids in protecting mothers from serious disease, while the development of maternal antibodies can help protect their babies from serious diseases early in life. This practice is especially critical during a global pandemic. This poster presentation will report on a national survey of vaccine attitudes and intentions of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Utilizing social media platforms, a convenience sample of pregnant women was taken, surveying vaccine attitudes and intentions. Data was also collected for age, race, education, marital status, household size and income, and provider influence. RESULTS: Preliminary data of 110 pregnant mothers surveyed reported that 51.8% (n=57) would definitely receive a COVD-19 vaccination, 10.0% (n=11) would probably receive the vaccination, 8.2% (n=9) were unsure, 16.4% (n=18) would probably not receive the vaccine, and 13.6% (n=15) would definitely not receive the vaccine. Using logistic regression modeling, we were able to determine that, while accounting for individual and household characteristics, individuals whose provider expressly recommended the vaccine were 37 times more likely to report positive intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (adj. OR 37.89, p-value=0.003). Similarly, respondents who reported stronger agreement with items on vaccine safety were over 10 times more likely to report positive vaccine intention (adj. OR 10.3, p-value=0.007) while individuals who reported stronger agreement with concerns about potential harm during pregnancy (adj. OR 0.397 p-value=0.009) and concerns about limited testing of the vaccine among pregnant populations were less likely to report positive vaccine intentions (adj OR 0.22 p-value=0.026). Winner, Education and Professional Studies Presentation Award