Vaccination Status in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study of Two Greek Maternity Hospitals.

PURPOSE: This study is aimed at evaluating postpartum women's vaccination status in two major maternity hospitals in Athens, Greece, and identifying demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors influencing vaccine acceptance.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Leto General Hospital and Alexandra Hospital. Postpartum women completed a questionnaire covering demographics, obstetric history, vaccination status (COVID-19, tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis [Tdap], influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]), and reasons for vaccine acceptance or refusal. Data were analyzed to assess the potential factors associated with vaccination uptake.

RESULTS

A total of 725 postpartum women participated (Site 1: 531, Site 2: 194; median age: 34 years). Overall, 51.2% received at least one vaccine during pregnancy, with the highest uptake observed for Tdap (42.5%), followed by influenza (19.6%) and COVID-19 vaccination (3.6%). RSV vaccination was negligible (< 1%). Influenza vaccination was significantly higher in Site 1 (22.2%) compared with Site 2 (12.4%, p < 0.001), whereas uptake rates for the other vaccines did not differ significantly between sites. Key barriers to vaccination included lack of physician advice (Site 1: 29.0%, Site 2: 18.6%), personal choice (Site 1: 12.4%, Site 2: 14.9%), and safety concerns, which were more prevalent in Site 2. Higher educational attainment and urban residence remained independently associated with vaccine uptake, after adjustment for potential confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

Maternal immunization in Greece still remains a great challenge, since only 14.62% of the studied sample received multiple vaccines. Enhancing immunization strategies necessitates targeted interventions that address provider-patient communication, systemic barriers, and perceptions of vaccine safety in order to improve adherence to recommended vaccination schedules.