COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women in Sweden and Norway
Anne K. Örtqvist, Elisabeth Dahlqwist, Maria C. Magnus, Rickard Ljung, Jerker Jonsson, Bernice Aronsson, Björn Pasternak, Siri E. Håberg, Olof Stephansson
Abstract
Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are highly effective in preventing severe disease and mortality. Although pregnant women are at increased risk of severe COVID-19, vaccination uptake among pregnant women varies. We used the Swedish and Norwegian population-based health registries to identify pregnant women and to investigate background characteristics associated with not being vaccinated. In this study of 164 560 women giving birth between May 2021 and May 2022, 78% in Sweden and 87% in Norway have been vaccinated with at least one dose at delivery. Not being vaccinated while being pregnant was associated with age below 30 years, low education and income level, birth region other than Scandinavia, smoking during pregnancy, not living with a partner, and gestational diabetes. These results can assist health authorities develop targeted vaccination information to diminish vaccination inequality and prevent severe disease in vulnerable groups.