Abstract:
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been recommended, but the perceptions
related to uptake remain unexplored. This pilot study aimed to explore how perceptions influence
COVID-19 vaccine uptake among a sample of 115 pregnant women in Kenya, recruited via WhatsApp.
Data were collected using an adapted online questionnaire between May and October 2022. Logistic
analyses assessed the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination uptake and the Theory of Reasoned
Action (TRA) constructs: attitudes and subjective norms. COVID-19 vaccination coverage was
73%, with vaccine hesitancy estimated at 41.4% among the unvaccinated group. Most participants
had completed college education and had good knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines. There was no
significant effect of enrollment in WhatsApp pregnancy groups on attitudes toward COVID-19
vaccination. Pregnant women were concerned about vaccine effectiveness (31.1%), and almost
one-half (47.3%) were discouraged from receiving COVID-19 vaccines. Positive attitudes towards
vaccination were associated with COVID-19 vaccination (aOR 2.81; 95% CI 1.12–7.04; p = 0.027),
but no significant relationship was found between COVID-19 vaccination and strong subjective
norms (influences to get COVID-19 vaccines). Our findings suggest that strategies to improve
vaccination should consider targeting attitudes and proximal social networks (friends/family) to
facilitate vaccination decision-making. WhatsApp can be used for research distribution and enhance
the dissemination of accurate information.