COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Factors Associated Among Pregnant Women in Mogadishu, Somalia

Background: Pregnant women exhibit COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy due to concerns regarding potential risks to their babies, doubts about vaccine efficacy, and limited access to information. Therefore, this study aims to estimate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and factors associated with pregnant women in Mogadishu, Somalia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women using a questionnaire covering socio-demographic information, pregnancy-related characteristics, perceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccination status. Univariable and multivariable
logistic regression analyses were utilized to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. Results: Among the 400 pregnant women who participated in this study, 26.8% had received a COVID-19 vaccine dose, with only 14.9% receiving it during pregnancy. Reasons for not receiving the vaccine included a lack of information about the vaccine (47.4%),
concerns about its adverse effects on personal health (33.8%), misconceptions regarding impacts on fertility or menstrual cycles (14.3%), belief in the vaccine’s inefficacy (3.4%), and fears about adverse effects on their fetus. In multivariable logistic regression, pregnant women with a history of chronic diseases (AOR=3.27, 95% CI=1.992–6.145), those who perceived themselves at risk of contracting COVID-19 (AOR=3.81, 95% CI=2.11–5.10), those who believed that the vaccine was accessible to them (AOR=4.34, 95% CI=2.915–6.165), and those who discussed the COVID-19 vaccine with their healthcare provider (AOR=3.91, 95% CI=2.123– 7.878) were more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine compared to their counterparts.
Conclusion: Pregnant women in Mogadishu, Somalia, face challenges with sub-optimal covid-19 vaccine uptake. Implementations should improve awareness of COVID-19 risks and facilitate discussions between healthcare providers and pregnant women. In addition, efforts to provide reliable information about the vaccine, alleviate concerns about its adverse effects, and dispel misconceptions about fertility, menstrual cycles, efficacy, and foetal impact are crucial.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine uptake, willingness, hesitancy and acceptance, factors associated, pregnant women, Mogadishu,
Somalia