An exploration of women's decision-making processes around accepting or declining vaccinations in pregnancy: A qualitative descriptive study

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 NURSING

Midwifery Pub Date : 2025-05-02 DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104441

Billie Ní Riada , Maria Noonan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

To explore women’s perceptions and experiences of accepting or declining vaccinations in pregnancy, and to identify factors that influence vaccination uptake.

Design

A qualitative descriptive interview-based study.

Setting

The maternity unit of a rural hospital in the Republic of Ireland.

Participants

A purposive sample of eight women who were pregnant, aged 18 and over, who were receiving antenatal care through the public healthcare system. Half of the participants accepted vaccinations, while the other half declined, reflecting varying levels of vaccine hesitancy.

Methods

Semi structured interviews (n=8) were conducted between July 2022 and August 2022 and analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

The study offers insight into women’s decision-making processes on vaccinations in pregnancy. Five main themes were identified (1). Maternal Instincts in the Shadow of Uncertainty, (2). Lack of Balanced Information, (3). Misinformation: Difficult to Ignore, (4). Navigating Fear and Social Pressures, (5). Perceived Benefits Outweighing Risk.

Key conclusions

The decision-making process around vaccination in pregnancy is complex and multifaceted, influenced by various factors that can either hinder or promote uptake rates. Participants expressed complex emotions, associated fears and anxieties, and highlighted the necessity for more balanced and transparent dialogues with healthcare professionals. They emphasised the need for the dissemination of high-quality objective evidence from health authorities. This, they felt, would help facilitate genuine informed decision making, and ease the burden of feelings of uncertainty.

Implications for practice

The provision of balanced, reliable, evidence-based information made available through multiple sources, alongside open and non-judgemental conversations with healthcare professionals is essential to support women in making informed decisions. Consequently, healthcare professionals require education and training to effectively communicate vaccination information clearly, empathetically, and in a way that is tailored to individual needs.

查看原文本刊更多论文

探索妇女在怀孕期间接受或拒绝接种疫苗的决策过程：一项定性描述性研究

目的探讨妇女在怀孕期间接受或拒绝接种疫苗的认知和经历，并确定影响疫苗接种的因素。设计：基于访谈的定性描述性研究。爱尔兰共和国一家农村医院的产科。参与者：有目的的8名孕妇，年龄在18岁及以上，通过公共医疗保健系统接受产前护理。一半的参与者接受了疫苗接种，而另一半则拒绝接种，反映出不同程度的疫苗犹豫。方法于2022年7月至2022年8月进行半结构化访谈（n=8），采用主题分析法进行分析。研究结果该研究为妇女在怀孕期间接种疫苗的决策过程提供了见解。确定了五个主要主题(1)。不确定性阴影下的母性本能，(2)。信息不均衡，(3)。错误信息：难以忽视，(4)。恐惧与社会压力，(5)。利益大于风险。孕期疫苗接种的决策过程是复杂和多方面的，受到各种因素的影响，这些因素可能会阻碍或促进接种率。与会者表达了复杂的情绪、相关的恐惧和焦虑，并强调有必要与卫生保健专业人员进行更加平衡和透明的对话。他们强调需要传播卫生当局提供的高质量客观证据。他们认为，这将有助于促进真正明智的决策，并减轻不确定感的负担。通过多种来源提供平衡、可靠、基于证据的信息，同时与卫生保健专业人员进行公开和非评判性的对话，对于支持妇女做出知情决定至关重要。因此，卫生保健专业人员需要接受教育和培训，以便以一种适合个人需求的方式，清晰、同情地有效地传达疫苗接种信息。

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来源期刊

Midwifery 医学-护理

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

221

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Midwifery publishes the latest peer reviewed international research to inform the safety, quality, outcomes and experiences of pregnancy, birth and maternity care for childbearing women, their babies and families. The journal’s publications support midwives and maternity care providers to explore and develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes informed by best available evidence. Midwifery provides an international, interdisciplinary forum for the publication, dissemination and discussion of advances in evidence, controversies and current research, and promotes continuing education through publication of systematic and other scholarly reviews and updates. Midwifery articles cover the cultural, clinical, psycho-social, sociological, epidemiological, education, managerial, workforce, organizational and technological areas of practice in preconception, maternal and infant care. The journal welcomes the highest quality scholarly research that employs rigorous methodology. Midwifery is a leading international journal in midwifery and maternal health with a current impact factor of 1.861 (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2016) and employs a double-blind peer review process.