SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Willingness among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women during the First Pandemic Wave: A Cross-Sectional Study in Switzerland
Sarah Stuckelberger,
Guillaume Favre,
Michael Ceulemans,
Hedvig Nordeng,
Eva Gerbier,
Valentine Lambelet,
Milos Stojanov,
Ursula Winterfeld,
David Baud,
Alice Panchaud,
Léo Pomar
Affiliations
Sarah Stuckelberger
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Guillaume Favre
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Michael Ceulemans
Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Hedvig Nordeng
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, PharmaTox Strategic Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo, Norway
Eva Gerbier
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Valentine Lambelet
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Milos Stojanov
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Ursula Winterfeld
Swiss Teratogen Information Service, Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
David Baud
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Alice Panchaud
Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Léo Pomar
Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
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.
