Pregnant individuals' information needs and intention to vaccinate their children with routine and COVID-19 vaccines: Findings from a cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveThe current study assessed pregnant individuals' intention to accept routine and COVID-19 vaccines for their baby after birth, and to identify key demographic (e.g., age) and nondemographic characteristics (e.g., prior birth) associated with vaccination intention. MethodsThe authors conducted a cross-sectional survey with pregnant individuals attending prenatal practices affiliated with a large academic medical center and two rural county health departments in the southeastern United States. The survey included 11 questions and was self-administered by pregnant individuals in clinic settings. The final analysis included responses from 443 pregnant individuals. ResultsOnly 67% of pregnant individuals planned to vaccinate their baby with all recommended routine vaccines; an additional 22% reported having questions about recommendations. Only 35% of pregnant individuals said they would vaccinate their baby as soon as possible with a COVID-19 vaccine. Younger pregnant individuals and those identifying as Black or African American had lower routine and COVID-19 vaccination intention. Routine vaccination, but not COVID-19 vaccination intention, was associated with familiarity with routine vaccination schedule, trimester of pregnancy, Hispanic ethnicity, history of prior birth, and having access to a computer. ConclusionStudy findings support differential tailoring of future interventions targeting pregnant individuals to promote routine and COVID-19 vaccines for children.

Automated summary

This study aimed to assess the intention of pregnant individuals to accept routine and COVID-19 vaccines for their baby after birth and to identify demographic and nondemographic characteristics associated with vaccination intention. The results showed that only 67% of pregnant individuals planned to vaccinate their baby with routine vaccines, and 35% would vaccinate their baby with a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Younger pregnant individuals and those identifying as Black or African American had lower vaccination intention. Routine vaccination intention was associated with familiarity with vaccination schedule, trimester of pregnancy, ethnicity, history of prior birth, and computer access.