Vaccine uptake against whooping cough (pertussis) and common flu is advised to take in England  . However, uptake ranges from area to ethnicity. Pregnant women typically receive primary care vaccinations, although some hospitals also provide antenatal vaccines. This mixed-method assessment explains the demographic features of women who are seen in a hospital stereo clinic and discusses the decision-making processes for vaccines. The electronic routine maternity reports including race, parity, age and inequality index have provided descriptive statistics of women in a London hospital-led squadron vaccine clinic. The reasons for the drop of women’s vaccines in sisters is classified by topics. Qualitative women’s interviews were also conducted in the clinic.

The vaccination clinic saw 1501 pregnant women between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018. Of all, 83% were vaccinated against pertussis and 51% were influenza vaccinated (in the flu season). In comparison with other ethnic groups only 68 percent of Black Afro-Caribbean women were vaccinated in the clinic with 34% of the vaccines for pertussis and 34% for influenza respectively. 42 percent of all women delivered to the hospital during the year were clinically vaccinated.

Hospital clinics led by the midwives will be an effective complement to primary care for maternity vaccinations. Vaccine uptake differed by race according to previous work. Midwives play a vital role in vaccination provision and affect women’s decisions on vaccines.

Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2020.1770515

Author