COVID-19 Risk Perception and Vaccine Uptake among Pregnant Women in Ghana

Abstract

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected global health systems and the world economy. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at an increased risk of developing severe disease. COVID-19 vaccines are highly recommended for pregnant women due to the vulnerability of the pregnant population. Vaccine hesitancy in LMIC’s remains a global health threat. Few studies have examined the risk perceptions of pregnant women living in sub-Saharan Africa and their influence on COVID-19 vaccine uptake within this population. To examine the relationship between knowledge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), infection risk perception, and vaccine uptake among pregnant women living in urban Ghana. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2022 at a general hospital in Accra, Ghana. We enrolled 400 antenatal pregnant women and 200 parturient women on admission. A structured questionnaire was administered to capture socio-demographic characteristics, examine their knowledge of COVID-19, their perception of infection risk to themselves and their unborn babies, and vaccine uptake. Results A high proportion perceived COVID-19 as a serious (25–45%) or very serious (45–60%) viral infection during pregnancy, which could have adverse effects on their unborn babies. A proportion of them (54.5%) believed that the virus could be transmitted from mother to the unborn babies in utero or during delivery, respectively. Although the women expressed fear of contracting the virus during pregnancy, they were not hesitant to visit healthcare facilities for antenatal care or delivery. We found that only 11.5% and 4.5% of our study participants in the antenatal clinic and delivery ward, respectively, received at least one dose of available COVID-19 vaccines. Despite the low vaccine uptake, most participants indicated that vaccination reduced the risk of contracting SARS-COV-2. Conclusions Our study found that pregnant women living in Accra were knowledgeable about COVID-19 and its negative effects on their unborn babies. Fear of contracting the virus did not deter them from accessing care at hospitals. Our participants perceived COVID-19 as serious viral infection during pregnancy and indicated that vaccination could reduce their chance of contracting the virus. However, many of them were not vaccinated against COVID-19.