A study of more than 28,000 pregnancies from 2022 has found that the majority of pregnant people received the COVID-19 vaccine during its initial release. The study, co-led by McMaster University and the University of British Columbia, used data from ICES, an independent, not-for-profit research institute, to provide insight into vaccination rates among one of the groups most vulnerable to health complications caused by COVID-19. The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) on Oct.
1, 2024, determined that about 79 per cent (22,581) people who gave birth in Ontario during the first three months of 2022 received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 75 per cent (21,425) received a second dose by the time they were three months postpartum. Of those who received a first dose, half did so before they were pregnant and only four per cent delayed it until after they gave birth. Researchers say this demonstrates high uptake for a new vaccine, especially during pregnancy.
It's encouraging to see this level of vaccination amongst pregnant people because COVID-19 outcomes can be so severe when you're pregnant. This feels like a public health victory, with people able to access the information they needed to make vaccination decisions from public health sources or clinicians they trust like their family doctor." Meredith Vanstone, Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University A key finding of the study was that pregnant people wer.