COVID 19 VACCINE ACCEPTABILITY AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING THE ANTENATAL CARE CLINIC AT ASOKORO DISTRICT HOSPITAL, FCT ABUJA NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019 and became a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Different forms of vaccines have been developed to prevent the SARS-CoV- 2 virus. The acceptance of these vaccines by individuals, particularly pregnant women, is dependent on various factors. Pregnancy is a high-risk state, and according to research, pregnant women are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 compared to those who are not pregnant. The virus increases the risk of complications affecting the pregnancy and developing baby. Hence, acceptance of this vaccine by pregnant women is of paramount importance to protect themselves and the developing fetus. Research on this subject matter has been carried out globally and there is increased coverage. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. METHODS AND MATERIALS This study was a mixed cross-sectional study carried out among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. Structured questionnaires were administered to 217 willing pregnant women, followed by two sessions of focused group discussion with 8 participants in each session. The quantitative aspect was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.0 software, and the focused group discussion was transcribed. RESULT With a response rate of 98.63%, our study revealed that 100% of the participants were aware of the COVID-19 Virus and, only 44.7% were aware of the health risks associated with the virus. Our findings also revealed that 98.2% of respondents knew of the COVID-19 vaccine.However only 24.9% have received it, and 75.1% were unvaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, 29.38% resulted from inadequate information on the vaccine. Moreover, of those who haven't received the vaccine, 38.04% were willing to, if recommended by a doctor ,with 81.59% likely to have it after breastfeeding. Only about 9.2% of respondents were aware of the vaccine’s benefits in pregnancy and about 18.9% have heard of different side effects of the vaccine in pregnancy. CONCLUSION Our research indicates that, despite universal awareness of the COVID-19 virus and widespread knowledge about the vaccine among respondents, a limited number of pregnant women have received the vaccine. A modest proportion (38.04%) expressed willingness to accept the vaccine, particularly when recommended by a doctor and predominantly during breastfeeding. The primary determinant for those who had not received the vaccination was insufficient information, followed by apprehensions regarding potential side effects on health. A noteworthy revelation was that many women were inclined to receive the vaccine only when offered for free. This perception is paradoxical, considering that the vaccine is already provided free of charge. Intriguingly, a substantial portion of these women seemed unconcerned about the potential impact of the vaccine on the health of their unborn children. These findings underscore a gap in understanding and perceptions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women. The identified factors, such as inadequate information and misconceptions about vaccine cost, present opportunities for targeted education and intervention initiatives during antenatal care. Addressing these specific concerns could potentially enhance vaccine acceptance and contribute to better public health outcomes.