Effect of Prenatal Vaccination Counseling on Non-Birthing Partners’ Vaccination Rates [ID 2068]

INTRODUCTION: Although neonatal infectious morbidity is reduced when both parents receive recommended vaccinations, many non-birthing partners are not vaccinated. This study assessed the association between prenatal vaccination counseling and vaccination rates among non-birthing partners of perinatal patients. METHODS: In this single-institution cross-sectional study, non-birthing partners completed a postpartum survey assessing their prenatal vaccine counseling experience for tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap), influenza, and COVID-19 vaccinations, vaccination status, barriers to vaccination, and acceptability of prenatal vaccination programs for non-birthing partners. Rates of vaccination counseling for individual vaccines were compared between those who reported vaccination and those who were unvaccinated. RESULTS: Of the 525 non-birthing partners approached, 330 (63%) participated. Most participants self-identified as male (95.8%), had a primary care provider (78.0%), and attended one or more prenatal care visit (88.2%). Sixty percent (n=198) of participants reported receiving prenatal counseling on vaccine recommendations for themselves. Vaccinated participants had increased prevalence of vaccine counseling compared to unvaccinated participants for Tdap (prevalence ratio [PR] 1.28; 95% CI [1.13–1.44]), influenza (PR 1.80; 95% CI [1.40–2.31]), and COVID-19 (PR 1.16; 95% CI [1.06–1.28]). Unvaccinated participants cited lack of knowledge of vaccine recommendations for Tdap (46.6%) and belief that vaccination was not needed given personal health status for COVID-19 (25.9%) and influenza (31.9%) as barriers to vaccination. Fifty-seven percent of participants stated they would “likely” or “absolutely” receive a vaccine recommended by a prenatal care provider, and 88.5% reported that vaccination of non-birthing partners during prenatal visits would be desirable given provider access and convenience. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Non-birthing partner vaccination was associated with an increased prevalence of prenatal counseling, and the majority of non-birthing partners feel vaccination of non-birthing partners in prenatal clinics is desirable. This suggests obstetric providers should increase counseling and offer vaccination in prenatal clinics to encourage non-birthing partner vaccination to protect both individuals and their neonates.