Knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and behaviors of Saudi pregnant women towards Tdap vaccine

Vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) is essential to protecting mothers and infants against these severe diseases. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, vaccination coverage among pregnant women remains suboptimal, with only 25-30% of pregnant females. The analysis of their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning the vaccine will, in turn, help formulate strategies to increase the vaccination rate. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 398 pregnant Saudi women aged 18-40 y using a validated questionnaire examining their knowledge of the vaccine. The study demonstrated that there were significant gaps in knowledge in that 36% of the participants correctly identified pertussis as a highly contagious disease yet preventable by vaccination, while 22% identified its severity in newborns. Better knowledge was associated with higher education attainment, and prior knowledge of vaccination against pertussis in adults was associated with more positive attitudes. A more significant majority of participants reported positive attitudes about vaccination overall, but 71% of them expressed concerns about side effects and safety. The findings indicate a need for targeted educational interventions as far as safety and knowledge gaps are concerned. Improving communication by health providers can increase vaccination uptake among pregnant women to ensure an increase in the protection of mothers and infants against whooping cough.