Covid-19 Vaccine Rates in Pregnancy and Factors Affecting the Vaccination Rate: A Cross-Sectional Research

Background: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, no specific treatment has been found. Immunization with vaccination seems to be the most effective way, but fear and distrust against vaccines are behind many vaccine hesita-tions. This research aimed to elucidate the COVID-19 vaccination rate in pregnant women and the causes of vaccine hesitancy. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 400 pregnant women who applied to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic of Antalya Training & Research Hospital between October and Decem-ber 2021. A questionnaire consisting of 17 questions was prepared and applied, including sociodemographic characte-ristics such as age, body mass index (BMI), working status, smoking, education level, number of children,gravidity, parity, gestational week, history of COVID-19 infection, the status of COVID-19 vaccination, the degree of COVID-19 fear, and doctor's recommendation for vaccination were investigated. The survey was conducted by face-to-face interview. All pregnant women who agreed to participate in the survey were included in the study without any exclu-sion criteria. Healthcare workers and those with chronic diseases were excluded from the study. Results: Regarding the results of the patient survey, 153 patients (38.3%) admitted to no fear of COVID-19 infection, 100 patients (25%) stated mild to moderate fear, and 147 (36.8%) patients had severe fear. The COVID-19 vaccination status of the women could be elaborated as 110 individuals (27.5%) did not prefer to be vaccinated, and 15 individuals (3.8%) did not accept inoculation. Only 67 (16.8%) of the women received vaccinations during pregnancy. 82.3% (n=93) of the non-vaccinated group elaborated on their rejection of vaccination, citing the risk of possible congenital anomalies or long-term fetal adverse events. The responsible physicians recommended the COVID-19 vaccine to 107 patients (26.8%), did not recommend it to 11 patients (2.8%), and did not make any recommendations to 282 patients (70.5%). Conclusions: Addressing the identified reasons for vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women provide guidance for future strategies, offering a focused and informed approach to increase vaccine acceptance, particularly in the vulner-able population of pregnant women