COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding women’s views about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy: a qualitative study in Northern Ireland.
IRAS ID
310629
Contact name
Sarah Milligan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health Agency
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 18 days
Research summary
SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women carries a higher risk of severe illness compared to non-pregnant women and infection at the time of birth is associated with a higher risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth and stillbirth. Despite COVID-19 vaccines being licensed, readily available and recommended for pregnant women in the UK, uptake remains low. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the barriers and motivators to COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and to explore ways of overcoming barriers, and enhance factors which enable vaccination. We seek to employ a market research company to assist with the recruitment of pregnant women in Northern Ireland. Participants will be informed in advance about the aims of the study and collection of information by the market research company, and will subsequently choose to give verbal, informed consent to participation and to being audio recorded. The market research company will then conduct online interviews using two different methods, based on vaccination status: 1) 1:1 semi-structured interviews with women who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 during their current pregnancy and; 2) focus groups with women who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. The sessions will follow a discussion guide which has been agreed by the project team. The sessions will be audio-recorded and transcribed by the market research company, who will analyse the data and report back to the Public Health Agency (PHA). The company will also supply the PHA with anonymised transcripts of the sessions which will be further analysed by staff on the project team. The findings will be shared with participants, policy makers, and reported in academic journals and at conferences.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/0531
Date of REC Opinion
17 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion