Vaccination of Polish pregnant women in the perinatal period against COVID -19

Introduction:
The Polish Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians and other scientific organizations emphasize that pregnant women represent a group with a higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection with SARS-CoV-2. Scientific societies recommend that pregnant women get immunized against COVID-19, especially with the use of preparations based on mRNA technology. The aim of the study was to determine the level of vaccination of pregnant women against COVID-19.

Material and methods:
A survey was conducted between February and March 2022 at a hospital in Krakow. The survey questionnaire consisted of 38 ques-tions on demographic characteristics, the clinical and obstetric situation, and health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The respondents were pregnant, in the perinatal period.

Results:
53.6% of the respondents had received a COVID-19 vaccination. Most of the vaccinated women (81.4%) had received the Comirnaty vaccine (BioNTech and Pfizer). As many as 46% of the women had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, out of which nearly 53% still did not intend to undergo immunization. The women had knowledge of the PSGO’s recommendations. Correct answers to two questions asked were given by 70.9% (first question) and 48.2% (second question) of the respondents. There was a statistically significant correlation between age and education, and the level of COVID-19 vaccination. Medical personnel and knowledge were the factors contributing to the women’s decisions to get vaccinated. The main reason for getting vaccinated was to protect oneself and the child to be born, while those pregnant women who did not want to receive the vaccine reported fear of side effects in the foetus as the main cause.

Conclusions:
Being ill with COVID-19 before pregnancy influenced the decision not to vaccinate during pregnancy. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 in the full course before pregnancy is a form of protection against getting ill during pregnancy, but it does not completely elimi-nate the risk of infection.