Pregnant Women Influenza Vaccination Status and Associated Knowledge,Attitudes and Beliefs --2010-11 Season, United States

Background: Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women; historically, approximately 15% of pregnant women report vaccination. Understanding the associations between pregnant women's knowledge, attitudes and beliefs (KABs) and vaccination status allows development and distribution of targeted public health messages for this population.

Objective: To examine differences in KABs among vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women using data collected from a rapid web-based internet panel survey to monitor influenza vaccination among pregnant women.

Methods: We used a web-based internet panel survey in November/December 2010 to estimate influenza vaccination coverage among women who were pregnant during anytime August through mid-December 2010 and examine KABs. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. T- tests were used for statistical difference.

Results: Of all eligible pregnant women, 1,502 completed the survey (91.9% completion rate). Influenza vaccination coverage by mid-December 2010 was 43.9%. The top three reasons given for not receiving the vaccination were concern about vaccination safety risk to themselves (56.5%), concern that the vaccination will give them the flu (54.3%), and concern that the vaccination would not be safe for their baby (47.3%). Unvaccinated women were more likely than vaccinated women to report their belief that the vaccine was neither effective nor safe for themselves or their infants. Unvaccinated women were more likely to report that current medical recommendation was pregnant women should not get vaccinated.

Conclusion: Providers, particularly prenatal care practitioners, should focus public health messages on reinforcing vaccination safety during pregnancy and vaccination benefits, especially protection for both mother and baby.