"Now that the baby is out, I can be vaccinated": a qualitative study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnant women in Kilifi, Kenya
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy, but vaccine hesitancy limits uptake and effectiveness. This study explored COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy in Kilifi, coastal Kenya, to elicit reasons for vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, and to compile misconceptions around vaccination in pregnancy. Twenty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women, mothers who had given birth in the previous 2 years and health workers (community health promoters, nurses, and supervisors). Data were analyzed using thematic template analysis based on the Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix. Concern about vaccine safety for the unborn baby was a major driver of hesitancy. Many pregnant women had limited knowledge of the potential benefits to the unborn baby, leading to postponing vaccination until after pregnancy. The initial government exclusion of pregnant women from vaccination led many to believe that vaccines were unsafe in pregnancy, long after the eligibility was revised. Aggressive promotion of the vaccine by the government was a source of mistrust and misconceptions. Integrating COVID-19 vaccination into routine antenatal care improved acceptance and development and dissemination of local guidelines boosted healthcare workers' confidence in offering vaccines to pregnant women. Future rollouts of vaccines for pregnant women should consider vaccination within antenatal care clinics alongside other routine pregnancy vaccines to enhance vaccine acceptance.
Date Issued
2026-02-06
Date Acceptance
2026-01-12
Citation
Frontiers in Public Health, 2026, 14
ISSN
2296-2565
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Journal / Book Title
Frontiers in Public Health
Volume
14
Copyright Statement
© 2026 Koech, Wanje, Mwashigadi, Katana, Mdindi, Mwangome, Craik, Vidler, Kinshella, von Dadelszen, Le Doare, Temmerman, The periCOVID-Africa Consortium and The PRECISE Network. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41725768
Subjects
Adult
COVID-19
COVID-19 Vaccines
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Kenya
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Pregnancy
Pregnant People
Qualitative Research
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination
Vaccination Hesitancy
Young Adult
COVID-19
Kenya
pregnancy
vaccination
vaccine acceptance
vaccine hesitancy
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Switzerland
Article Number
1730282
Date Publish Online
2026-02-06