Abstract
As pregnant women are at high risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccines are available in Switzerland, this study aimed to assess the willingness of Swiss pregnant and breastfeeding women to become vaccinated. Through a cross-sectional online study conducted after the first pandemic wave, vaccination practices and willingness to become vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 if a vaccine was available were evaluated through binary, multi-choice, and open-ended questions. Factors associated with vaccine willingness were evaluated through univariable and multivariable analysis. A total of 1551 women responded to questions related to the primary outcome. Only 29.7% (153/515) of pregnant and 38.6% (400/1036) of breastfeeding women were willing to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 if a vaccine had been available during the first wave. Positive predictors associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine acceptance were an age older than 40 years, a higher educational level, history of influenza vaccination within the previous year, having an obstetrician as the primary healthcare practitioner, and being in their third trimester of pregnancy. After the first pandemic wave, Switzerland had a low SARS-CoV-2 vaccination acceptance rate, emphasizing the need to identify and reduce barriers for immunization in pregnant and breastfeeding women, particularly among the youngest and those with a lower educational level.
Highlights
In 2020, the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic with more than 166 million confirmed cases worldwide
The COVID-19 vaccine willingness of pregnant and breastfeeding women included in the multi-center study has already been published [25], and the Swiss rate was among the lowest, the need to investigate the factors associated with vaccine acceptance in a Swiss-specific study
A total3.oRf 2e0s6u4ltsrespondents participated in the survey (1161 using the French questionnaire, 868 usAintgottahleofG2e0r6m4arnesqpuoensdtieonntnsapiraer,tiacnipdat3e5duinsinthgetshuervIteaylia(1n16q1ueusstiinognnthaiereF)rench quesincluding 1t5i0o1nbnraeiares,tf8e6e8diunsginagndth5e63Gperemgannanqtuwesotmioennn.aAirme,oanngdth3e5mu,s5in13g(t2h4e.9I%ta)lidaind qnuoet stionnaire) answer the iqnucelustdioinngre1l5a0ti1ngbrteoawsthfeeetdheinrgthaenydw5e6r3e pwriellgingantot wgeotmvaecnc.inAamtedonaggatihnesmt S, A51R3S-(24.9%) did CoV-2 if a vnaoctcainneswwearstahveaqiluaebsltei.oTnhruesla, t7in5.g1%tothceoyntwriebruetewdiltlointghetoagneatlyvsaecscianda-ted against dressing thSeApRrSim-CaorVy-2aiimf aovfatchcienestwudays a(v1a0i3l6abbler.eaTshtfuese,d7i5n.1g%m(ont=he1r5s5a1n) dcon51tr5ibpurteegdntaontthe analyses women) (Fiagdudrere1s)s.ing the primary aim of the study (1036 breastfeeding mothers and 515 pregnant women) (Figure 1)
Summary
In 2020, the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic with more than 166 million confirmed cases worldwide. In Switzerland, more than 680,000 people tested positive with more than 10,000 deaths reported [1]. Pregnant women are considered a vulnerable population for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Current evidence suggests that they are up to 70% more susceptible to infection. If infected, they are at greater risk of developing complications [2,3,4] such as admission to an intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, and death [5,6]. Increased risk of caesarian section, iatrogenic prematurity, post-partum hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and miscarriage have been reported [7,8,9,10,11]
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