Uptake of pertussis immunization in pregnancy and determinants of vaccination in Toronto, Canada

Abstract

IntroductionPertussis causes significant morbidity and mortality in infants aged <6 months. Maternal pertussis vaccination during pregnancy has been recommended in Canada since 2018 to reduce these negative outcomes. In the absence of routine immunization coverage data, our objective was to evaluate uptake in Toronto, Canada. MethodsWe recruited mother-infant pairs at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, between 2018 and 2020. We performed logistic regression to examine associations between demographics and self-reported pertussis vaccination. Results76/243 mothers (31.3 %) reported receiving pertussis vaccination during their most recent pregnancy. Odds of receiving vaccination more than doubled with each 1-year increase in year of pregnancy (aOR: 2.2; 95 % CI: 1.3, 3.6; p < 0.01) and among those born in Canada as compared to those not (aOR: 2.0; 95 % CI: 1.1, 3.6; p = 0.02) ConclusionUptake of pertussis vaccination during pregnancy in Ontario has increased in recent years, however coverage remains lower than desirable.