Attitudes of pregnant women to antenatal vaccination
and participation in GBS vaccine trials during pregnancy
Fiona McQuaid, Chrissie Jones, Zoe Stevens, Helen Bedford, Jane Plumb, Carolyn Ford, Beverly Donaldson, Diane Gbesemete, Catherine
O’Sullivan, Adam Finn, Stephan Hughes, Paul Heath, Matthew D Snape
Introduction
Methods
• Maternal vaccination is increasingly part of routine
antenatal care in the UK and worldwide.
• Clinical trials of novel vaccines targeting the major
neonatal pathogen Group B streptococcus (GBS)
are ongoing.
• This study investigated the attitudes of pregnant
women in the UK towards antenatal vaccination,
both in routine care and in a clinical trial setting.
• Self-completed
paper
questionnaires
were
distributed to 356 pregnant women across seven UK
sites (Oxford, St Georges London, Imperial London,
Edinburgh, Bristol, Southampton and Manchester).
• Additional information about GBS was provided half
way through the questionnaire.
• Free text questions explored the reasons behind
responses.
Results
• 356 questionnaires were distributed, 300 (84%) were returned and 269 (76%) included in the final analysis
• Ethnicity was representative for the UK, age ranged from 18-45 years
• 65% of pregnant women had at least one child and all gestations were included
Would you have a GBS vaccine in pregnancy?
Pre information
Post information
How would you like to be approached to
take part in a research study?
Study Team
Email
How many pregnant women tested
5%
Internet advert
Over 100
Leaflet
6%
GP
6%
over 500
Obstetrician
Midwife
23%
over 1000
How many pregnant women would have to be tested
23%
before you would consider
havingover
the10000
GBS vaccine?
0
over 500
I would not have the vaccine
3%
over 1000
37%
missing data
over 10000
23%
How likely would youover
be100000
to take part in a GBS
vaccine trial while pregnant?
How likely to take part in a trial
I would not have the vaccine
5%
14%
19%
Fairly likely
Fairly unlikely
Very unlikely
28%
23%
Don’t
know
missing data
Conclusions
100
120
140
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
2
1
3
24
5
3
6
4
7
58
9
6
not complete
Very likely
11%
37%
80
(1 = most important, top 5 responses only shown)
over 100000
6%
60
What would make you more likely to take part?
Over 100
6%
40
No of women
How many pregnant women tested
5%
20
missing data
Other
Other
Knowing that it might benefit others in the future
Knowing
thatwould
it might
benefitbeothers
To have access to
a vaccine that
not otherwise
availablein the
If I was offered vouchers/free
nappies etc
To have access
to a vaccine that would no
If I was paid money for taking part
If I was
offered
vouchers/free
nappies etc
If my baby had regular
check-ups
for several
years
If for
I was
If I could be tested
GBSpaid money for taking part
If I had extra appointments
during
theregular
study
If my baby
had
check-ups for seve
If I have extra scans during the study
If I could be tested for GBS
If I had extra appointments during the stud
If I have extra scans during the study
These data will help healthcare professionals in their discussions about vaccine research with pregnant women and
can be used by those planning clinical trials of novel vaccines in pregnancy. An encouraging number of pregnant
women (24%) in this study were open to participating in vaccine research, suggesting clinical trials of antenatal
vaccines would be feasible in the UK.