Vaccination rate and vaccine hesitancy of pregnant women, comparison of causes with epidemiological factors during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Aims: Vaccine hesitancy remains a major challenge in public health, particularly among pregnant women, who represent a high-risk group for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This study aimed to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine acceptance and to identify factors related to vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women. This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending routine antenatal care clinics at a tertiary healthcare center. Methods: Pregnant women who voluntarily consented to participate were included in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, presence of chronic disease, history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination status, and reasons for vaccine hesitancy. During pregnancy, vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were compared using appropriate statistical techniques. Results: A total of 249 pregnant women were included. The overall acceptance rate of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was 47.4%. No statistically significant differences were observed between vaccinated and unvaccinated women in terms of age, education level, employment status, income level, obstetric characteristics, presence of chronic disease, or history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (p>0.05). Gestational age was significantly higher among unvaccinated women compared with vaccinated women (p<0.01). The most commonly reported reason for vaccine hesitancy was concern about potential harm to the fetus, followed by lack of recommendation from healthcare professionals and fear of side effects. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women remains an important public health issue. Concerns related to fetal safety appear to be the primary barrier to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine acceptance. These findings provide practical evidence to guide antenatal counseling and public health communication strategies aimed at increasing vaccine uptake among pregnant women. Addressing pregnancy-specific safety concerns through targeted education may improve immunization coverage in this high-risk population.