COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Zim Pregnant Women Cause For Concern- Findings

NEW journals by renowned Zimbabwe’s Public Health Expert Dr Grant Murewenhema et al has revealed huge gaps in vaccination among women of reproductive age from resource constrained settings such as Zimbabwe.

By Michael Gwarisa

The two papers one on Vaccination hesitancy among women of reproductive age in resource-challenged settings: a cause for public health concern and COVID-19 Vaccination for pregnant women in Zimbabwe: a public health challenge that needs an urgent discourse both try to look at how pregnant and women and those of reproductive age are responding to the prevailing vaccination drive.

According to the journal findings, vaccine hesitancy among Women of Reproductive Age and pregnant women were largely due to lack of clear eligibility guidelines for pregnant women misconceptions from information being peddled by conspiracy theorists amongst a host of other issues.

Pregnant women are a  population group with distinct concerns in relation  to the uptake  of vaccines. Unfortunately, evidence  points  towards  a  greater  risk  of  adverse  outcomes  from COVID-19 in this population.

“Key considerations include the potential effects of vaccines on the  foetus,  development  of  pregnancy, fertility,  and beyond pregnancy on  aspects  such as consideration with  regards  to breastfeeding  and long-term  effects  on  their  children.  Safety concerns are a key driver of vaccine hesitancy in this group, as the decision to take up the vaccine requires weighting the potential benefits versus the perceived risks to both the mother and the foetus/baby,” the Journal indicated.

According to the paper, without  clear  consensus or guidelines with  regards  to vaccination,  some healthcare practitioners can also be reluctant to advise or administer vaccines to pregnant and breastfeeding womens.

“It is therefore not surprising that in Zimbabwe there have been widespread social media reports of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy amongst the population including pregnant and  breastfeeding  women,  propagated  by  circulating  myths,  misconceptions  and  rumours regarding the safety of the vaccines in this population.

“Currently in Zimbabwe there is no policy position on the provision of COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant and breastfeeding women, resulting in most pregnant and breastfeeding women being turned away from vaccination centres. There is need for an urgent discussion around ways to address the challenge posed by vaccine hesitancy  in  pregnant  and  breastfeeding  women, and  of clear  consensus and guidelines to support healthcare workers involved in vaccination.”

Meanwhile, current vaccines in Zimbabwe have not yet been adequately tested in 
pregnancy and their effects on the developing foetus are unknown. There is also
currently no evidence that the current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are harmful in pregna-
ncy.

“However, clinical trials are in the pipeline that will determine their safety profiles in pregnancy. Meanwhile, several messages have been distributed across different social media linking vaccines to miscarriages, giving birth to children with abnormalities and other adverse outcomes. No mother would want to lose their unborn child and some dread the trauma of having to look after a child with disability.

“Many mothers in resource-limited settings are aware of a family that looks after a child with a disability, such as cerebral palsy, or Down´s syndrome and would never want a similar experience. Some developed countries that commenced vaccination earlier discouraged or advised breastfeeding women against being vaccinated, without any concretely supporting evidence. Theoretically, COVID-19 vaccines could be beneficial to a breastfeeding child due to transfer of antibodies, providing passive immunity. However, this is not yet adequately explored. Mothers are heavily protective of their babies and the circulating misconception that vaccinating breastfeeding mothers can harm their babies may negatively influence the uptake of vaccines by WRA.”

 

Access Journals Here:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34285758/ 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535221001257#!

Comments

comments

Related posts