Covid-19 vaccine uptake and associated risk factors among first antenatal care attendees in Zambia, 2021–2022

A repeated cross-sectional study

Bibliographic Data

ID19594565
AuthorsTannia Tembo (0000-0003-3800-371X, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Paul Somwe (0009-0002-4854-0180, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Samuel Bosomprah (0000-0002-2826-3887, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Elizabeth Heilmann (0000-0002-8328-9975, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Kalubi Kalenga (Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Nyembezi Moyo (0009-0000-3605-9280, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Bupe Kabamba (0009-0009-1206-7660, corresponding author), Victoria Seffren (0000-0003-2499-9368, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, corresponding author), Sombo Fwoloshi (Ministry of Health, corresponding author), Marie-Reine Rutagwera (corresponding author), Maximillian Musunse (0000-0002-2583-7881, corresponding author), Linos Mwiinga (Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Julie Gutman (0000-0001-6769-7322, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, corresponding author), Julie R Gutman, Jonas Z Hines (0000-0002-4877-0333, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author), Izukanji Sikazwe (0000-0002-3898-2607, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, corresponding author)
EditorsLeeberk Raja Inbaraj (0000-0001-8642-1348)
Year2024
Volume4
Issue10
Pagese0003028
Publication date2024-10-24
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0003028
PMID39446709
OpenAlexW4403722211
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited37

Pregnant women are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19, and a priority for vaccination. Routine antenatal care (ANC) provides an opportunity to track trends and factors associated with vaccine uptake. We sought to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women attending ANC and assess the factors associated with vaccine in Zambia. We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study in 39 public health facilities in four districts in Zambia from September 2021 to September 2022. Pregnant women who were aged 15–49 years were enrolled during their first ANC visit. Every month, ~20 women per facility were interviewed during individual HIV counseling and testing. We estimated vaccine uptake as the proportion of eligible participants who self-reported having received the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 9,203 pregnant women were screened, of which 9,111 (99%) were eligible and had vaccination status. Of the 9,111 included in the analysis, 1,818 (20%) had received the COVID-19 vaccine during the study period, with a trend of increasing coverage with time (0.5% in September 2020, 27% in September 2022). Conversely, 3,789 (42%) reported not being offered a COVID-19 vaccine. We found that women aged 40–49 years, had no education or attained some primary school education, were not employed, and had prior COVID-19 infection were significantly associated with vaccine uptake. COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women was lower than estimates from the general population (27% across the four districts in September 2022), pointing to missed opportunities to protect this high-risk group. ANC visits were a viable point for conducting COVID-19 surveillance. Incorporating the vaccine as part of the routine ANC package might increase coverage in this group

Cross-sectional study · Disease · Environmental health · Population · Pregnancy · Vaccination · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction · Global Maternal and Child Health · Medicine · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy · Immunology · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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