Maternal awareness, acceptability and willingness towards respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination during pregnancy in Ireland

• Published in: Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. e1257 - n/a
• Main Authors: McCormack, Siobhan, Thompson, Claire, Nolan, Miriam, Imcha, Mendinaro, Dee, Anne, Saunders, Jean, Philip, Roy K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley and Sons Inc 01-04-2024; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Ireland - epidemiology; life‐course immunization; maternal immunization; maternal vaccination; Original; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - immunology; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - prevention & control; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - psychology; Pregnant Women - psychology; respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - immunology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - prevention & control; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - psychology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines - immunology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - immunology; Surveys and Questionnaires; vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; Vaccination Hesitancy - psychology; Vaccination Hesitancy - statistics & numerical data; vaccine confidence; Young Adult; Ireland; maternal vaccination; maternal immunization; pregnancy; vaccine confidence; respiratory syncytial virus; life‐course immunization; vaccination
• ISSN: 2050-4527; 2050-4527
• DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1257

Background
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the world's leading cause of viral acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in infants. WHO has identified maternal RSV vaccination a priority and candidate vaccines are in development; however, vaccine hesitancy remains an impediment to successful implementation of maternal immunization. This study, the largest antenatal survey conducted to‐date, aimed to examine maternal RSV awareness, likely acceptance of RSV vaccination in pregnancy, and attitudes to maternal vaccination.
Methods
Pregnant women of all gestations attending antenatal clinic of a university maternity hospital in Ireland were invited to participate. An information leaflet provided, consent obtained, and survey administered examining RSV awareness, willingness to avail of antenatal RSV vaccination, factors influencing acceptability and preferred sources of assistance. Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval obtained, and general data protection regulation (GDPR) guidelines followed.
Results
528 women completed the survey. A large proportion (75.6%) had never heard of RSV, yet 48.5% would still avail of a vaccine, 45.8% were undecided and only 5.3% would not. The main factor making vaccination acceptable to women (76.4%) was that it protects their infant from illness (p < .001, CV 0.336 for association with acceptance) and general practitioner (GP) was the preferred guidance source in decision‐making (57.7%).
Conclusions
Despite low levels of maternal awareness of RSV, pregnant women in Ireland are open to availing of antenatal vaccination. Maternal immunization strategies need to focus on infant's protection from RSV‐associated ALRI along with vaccine safety, and build on an interdisciplinary collaboration of maternal, neonatal, primary care and public health services.
A study of maternal awareness, acceptability and willingness towards antenatal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination in Ireland showed low levels of awareness of RSV but an openness to this approach to protect infants. Collaborative working will be required to raise awareness and facilitate maternal vaccine uptake, as part of a life‐course immunization strategy.