COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Pregnant, Lactating, and Nonpregnant Women of Reproductive Age in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study.

Abstract

This study aims to identify the rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine acceptance, the reasons for receiving and not receiving the vaccine, and the associated factors among pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant women of reproductive age. This cross-sectional and analytical study was conducted online in Turkey, at the end of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, between February and May 2022. A total of 658 women (230; 35% pregnant) (187; 28.4% lactating) (241; 36.6% nonpregnant) women of reproductive age participated in the study. Vaccine acceptance rates were found to be 91.7% in nonpregnant women of reproductive age, 77% in lactating women, and 59% in pregnant women (P < 0.05). The highest rate of vaccine hesitancy was observed in pregnant women (31.3%), and vaccine rejection rate was the highest in lactating women (10.2%). Pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] = 3.98; confidence interval [CI] = 1.13-14.10), and the breastfeeding period (OR = 3.84; CI = 1.15-12.78), increased vaccine hesitancy approximately four times. Lack of knowledge about and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine is still one of the barriers to vaccine acceptance today. Health-care providers (HCPs) should provide effective counseling to pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant reproductive-aged women based on current information and guidelines.