According to data highlighted by the CDC, efforts to improve vaccine coverage among pregnant women could be utilized to reduce adverse maternal and infant events.
Takeaways
- CDC data suggests that increasing vaccine coverage among pregnant women can help reduce adverse maternal and infant events, emphasizing the importance of vaccination during pregnancy.
- To reduce disease incidence among pregnant women and infants, the CDC recommends COVID-19, influenza, and Tdap vaccinations during pregnancy. Influenza vaccination is especially advised during the influenza season.
- Despite recommendations, vaccine coverage among pregnant women for influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 is low. This indicates a need for improved efforts to promote and provide these vaccines to pregnant individuals.
- The study shows an increase in hesitancy towards influenza and Tdap vaccines among pregnant women in recent years. Provider recommendations play a crucial role in reducing hesitancy.
- The results underscore the significance of healthcare provider recommendations in increasing vaccine coverage among pregnant women to prevent adverse health outcomes in both pregnant women and infants.
Disease incidence among pregnant women and their infants can be reduced through COVID-19, influenza, and tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccination. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends women pregnant during the influenza season receive an influenza vaccination.
The Tdap and COVID-19 vaccines are also recommended in pregnant women by the ACIP, with the COVID-19 vaccine recommended in all individuals aged 6 months and older and the Tdap vaccine recommended between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation. However, coverage for influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women is low.
The CDC measured Tdap, COVID-19, and influenza coverage among pregnant women through data from an Internet panel survey conducted between March 28 and April 16, 2023. Respondents were aged 18 to 49 years and were pregnant any time between August 1, 2022, and the end of the study period.
Vaccination against influenza was considered receiving a dose of an influenza vaccine any time from July 1, 2022, onward. Tdap vaccination status was limited to women with pregnancy since August 1, 2022. COVID-19 vaccination was evaluated based on receiving at least 1 dose, completing the primary vaccination series, and receiving a bivalent booster dose.
There were 1814 survey responders, 47.2% of which reported receiving an influenza vaccine before or during pregnancy. A Tdap vaccine was received by 55.4% of the 776 respondents who had a live birth by their survey date.
Pregnancy at the time of the survey was reported in 1252 women, 64.9% of which had received at least COVID-19 vaccine dose. Completion of the primary series was reported by 58.7% and receiving a bivalent COVID-19 booster dose by 27.3%.
Between the 2019 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023 periods, the rate of hesitancy toward the influenza and Tdap vaccines increased among pregnant women, at 17.5% and 24.7% respectively. Approximately 1 in 5 women reported being very hesitant about the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy in the 2022 to 2023 period, compared to 15.1% from 2019 to 2020.
Hesitancy rates decreased among pregnant women who received a provider recommendation for vaccination, with 61.4% of women who received a recommendation and a referral from a provider receiving an influenza vaccine vs 22.7% who received a recommendation but no referral and 10.8% who did not receive a recommendation.
These results indicated provider recommendation could increase vaccine coverage among pregnant women. Investigators recommended these methods be promoted to prevent adverse events in pregnant women and infants.
Reference
Razzaghi H, Kahn KE, Calhoun K, et al. Influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage and hesitancy among pregnant women — United States, April 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 29, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7239a4.htm?s_cid=mm7239a4_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM114093&ACSTrackingLabel=New%20in%20MMWR%3A%20Flu%2C%20Tdap%2C%20and%20COVID-19%20vaccine%20coverage%20among%20pregnant%20people%2C%20and%20more&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM114093
