With Only 26% of Pregnant People in the United States Vaccinated Against COVID-19, New Survey Sheds Light on the Reasons Why

Key findings from the survey

1. Most pregnant people do not know the CDC recommends vaccines during pregnancy

61% of respondents were unaware of the latest CDC guidance recommending vaccines for people who are pregnant, recently pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or may be pregnant in the future.

2. Pregnant people are receiving misinformation about vaccine safety from a broad array of sources, including but not limited to the medical community

Pregnant people get their advice from a variety of sources with competing opinions, including the medical community, family, and friends. Nearly 70% of respondents said at least one source suggested they avoid receiving the COVID vaccine. 53% said family and friends advised against the vaccine, and nearly one third (29%) said a medical provider advised against receiving the vaccine.

3. The majority of unvaccinated pregnant people do not plan to get vaccinated during their pregnancy

68% of respondents said they don’t plan to receive the vaccine while pregnant. 36% of respondents said they don’t plan to ever get the vaccine, and 32% said they plan to get the vaccine after giving birth. Nationally, only 13% of Americans do not plan to get vaccinated.

4. The most important factor pregnant people take into account when deciding to get vaccinated is the health and safety of their baby.

Pregnant people who decide not to get the vaccine are typically doing so with the health and safety of their baby in mind. 61% cited their unborn child’s health as the primary reason why they did or did not receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and 28% felt that there was a lack of sufficient information on the effects of the vaccine.

How to improve vaccination rates? Start with empathy

To help make sense of these findings and identify methods for improving vaccination rates, we turned to Dr. Neel Shah, MD, MPP, FACOG, Maven’s Chief Medical Officer: “Pregnant people want to do what is safest for them and their baby. For many people, there is not a single source of truth,” he said. “We need trustworthy and accurate messaging from a broad array of sources—and we need to meet people where they are by truly listening to their concerns."

That means having empathy for pregnant people who are hesitant to get the vaccine is a crucial first step. To help pregnant people make informed decisions, those concerned with their health and wellbeing — including providers, loved ones, and friends — should strive to listen to their reservations without judgment. 

The health care system often imposes barriers for pregnant people in seeking out medical advice. Between the difficulty of securing an in-person visit with a provider to concerns over cost (studies repeatedly show Americans forego necessary medical care to save money), it can be hard for pregnant people to get reliable information from a provider they can trust. 

To help remove those barriers, Maven is making our network of OB-GYNs and midwives available for free appointments for any pregnant person seeking guidance on vaccination and pregnancy. As always, those with employer or payer-sponsored membership can speak with any of our providers at no cost.