COVID-19 Phobia in Pregnant Women and its Effect on Vaccination Attitude

Abstract

Objective: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates among pregnant women are lower than the general population. This study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 phobia and vaccination attitudes among pregnant women. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted online with 254 pregnant women between May 2022 and December 2022; sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 vaccination data, Coronavirus Phobia Scale, and Anti-vaccine Scale of women with pregnancies older than 12 weeks of gestation were compared. Results: Our study determined that 68.5% of pregnant women received COVID-19 vaccination before pregnancy and 4.7% during pregnancy. It was determined that 30% of pregnant women did not know about COVID-19 vaccines. It was determined that there was a significant positive correlation between COVID-19 phobia and anti-vaccination levels. COVID-19 phobia was higher in pregnant women with children and low economic income. It was determined that women who had never been vaccinated had higher levels of anti-vaccination. Conclusion: Lack of information, having children, low economic income, the belief that the vaccine will have adverse side effects on the pregnant woman and her baby, and COVID-19 phobia were associated with low vaccination rates in pregnant women. These factors should be considered to raise public awareness and increase vaccination in pregnant women.