Study: Pregnancy Offers Critical Opportunity to Address Vaccine Uncertainty

A new study led by researchers at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health found that nearly of half of first-time expectant mothers in the U.S. were unsure if they would fully vaccinate their children.

This percentage of uncertainty dropped to 18% for those with previous pregnancies and 4% for parents of young children. The researchers say that this shows when vaccine education could be most effective.

“This study shows that pregnancy is a really important time to provide families the information they need about childhood vaccines to keep their babies healthy during their early years, when they are most vulnerable to infectious diseases,” says the study’s lead author Lavanya Vasudevan, PhD, associate professor of global health at Rollins.

“Those who are expecting a baby—especially first-time moms—often reported feeling unsure about whether to give their child all the recommended vaccines after birth. Many [expectant parents] hadn’t yet decided if they will delay or skip shots,” Vasudevan adds. “Since families often visit doctors many times during pregnancy, these visits can be good opportunities to talk about vaccines and help them make informed choices.”

Study Details

The study, which was published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open, conducted two national surveys in April 2024.They asked 174 pregnant women and 1,765 current parents of children under 5 years old about their vaccination intentions. They also asked the parents with young children about their vaccine choices for all routine and seasonal vaccines recommended for children from birth to 18 months old.

By the Numbers

48% of first-time expectant parents were undecided about vaccinating their children with all recommended vaccines.

1 in 3 parents of young children refused some or all recommended childhood vaccines.

18% of pregnant participants with prior pregnancies were still undecided about vaccinating their unborn child after birth with all recommended vaccines.

Why it Matters

Routine childhood vaccinations prevented about 1.1 million deaths, 32 million hospitalizations, and 508 cases if illness in children born from 1994 to 2023.

What the Experts Say 

“This study looks at how parents-to-be and parents of young kids make decisions about vaccines. Because the survey shows how these decisions are often not yet set in stone for many parents-to-be, pregnancy is a really important opportunity to provide them with the right information and support to help increase their confidence in vaccines,” says study co-author Robert Bednarczyk, PhD, associate professor of global health at Rollins.