Pregnant women's perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine in Kinshasa, D.R. Congo. Multicentric qualitative study conducted in the Binza Météo Health Zone
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The aim of this study was to understand pregnant women's perceptions of vaccination against COVID-19. The study was
conducted using a qualitative approach. Data was collected through individual interviews and focus groups. Data analysis
consisted of a thematic analysis of the content of the interviews. The target population was made up of pregnant women who had attended the maternity units selected for the study in the Binza Ozone Health Zone. The main results showed that pregnant women's willingness to be vaccinated was hampered by fear and concern about serious adverse post-vaccinal events, congenital malformations in the unborn baby, premature deliveries and low birth weight babies. Vaccinating pregnant women against COVID-19 is one of the effective strategies that can be put in place to protect them from the fatal complications of COVID-19.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Afrifa-Anane, G F., Larbi, R. T., Addo, B., Agyekum, M.
W., Kyei-Arthur, F., Appiah, M., Agyemang, C. O.,
& Sakada, I. G. (2022). Facilitators and barriers to
COVID-19 vaccine uptake among women in two
regions of Ghana : A qualitative study. PLoS ONE,
(8), e0272876.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272876
Ayieko, S., Baker, K., Messiah, S. E., Lewis, B., &
Markham, C. (2023). Determinants of COVID-19
Vaccination Decision-Making Behaviors among
Pregnant Women in Sub-Saharan Africa : A
Scoping Review. Vaccines, 11(7), Article 7.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11071233
Belbal, M., & Benabed, B. (2022). Enquête
ethnobotanique des plantes médicinales utilisées
dans le traitement traditionnel de la Covid-19 dans
l’Ouest Algérien(Tiaret) [Thèse, Université Ibn
Khaldoun -Tiaret-]. http://dspace.univtiaret.
dz:80/handle/123456789/9403
Carvajal, J., Casanello, P., Toso, A., Farías, M.,
Carrasco-Negue, K., Araujo, K., Valero, P.,
Fuenzalida, J., Solari, C., & Sobrevia, L. (2023).
Functional consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection
in pregnant women, fetoplacental unit, and neonate.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Basis of
Disease, 1869(1), 166582.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166582
Cedric, K.S., Banen J.B., Foka-Nkwetni et al. (2021).
Médecine traditionnelle et lutte contre la covid-19
au Cameroun. International Journal of Science
Academic Research, 02(02),1051-1057.
Chaabita, R., Bennani, B., Chaabani, Z., & Ghoujdam,
M. (2023). L’acceptation et la réticence de la
vaccination contre Covid19 chez les citoyens
marocains : Cas de la région grand Casablanca-Settat. International Journal of Accounting,
Finance, Auditing, Management and
Economics, 4(1‑2).
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7607756
Choi, J., Lieff, S. A., Meltzer, G. Y., Grivel, M. M.,
Chang, V. W., Yang, L. H., & Des Jarlais, D. C.
(2022). Anti-Vaccine Attitudes among Adults
in the U.S. during the COVID-19. Pandemic
after Vaccine Rollout. Vaccines, 10(6), Article
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10060933
Comparcini, D., Tomietto, M., Pastore, F., Nichol,
B., Miniscalco, D., Flacco, M. E., Stefanizzi, P.,
Tafuri, S., Cicolini, G., & Simonetti, V. (2024).
Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccine
Hesitancy in Pregnant and
Breastfeeding/Puerperium Women : A Cross-
Sectional Study. Vaccines, 12(7), 772.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12070772
Dhama, K., Khan, S., Tiwari, R., Sircar, S., Bhat, S.,
Malik, Y. S., Singh, K. P., Chaicumpa, W.,
Bonilla-Aldana, D. K., & Rodriguez-Morales,
A. J. (2020). Coronavirus Disease 2019–
COVID-19. Clinical Microbiology Reviews,
(4), e00028-20.
https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00028-20
Dunn, P. H., & Woo, B. K. P. (2019). Social Media’s
Role in the Dissemination of Health
Information. Journal of the American Geriatrics
Society, 67(9), 1989‑1990.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16070
Gray, K. J., Bordt, E. A., Atyeo, C., Deriso, E.,
Akinwunmi, B., Young, N., Baez, A. M.,
Shook, L. L., Cvrk, D., James, K., De Guzman,
R. M., Brigida, S., Diouf, K., Goldfarb, I.,
Bebell, L. M., Yonker, L. M., Fasano, A., Rabi,
S. A., Elovitz, M. A. (2021). COVID-19
vaccine response in pregnant and lactating
women : A cohort study. American Journal of
Obstetrics & Gynecology.
https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.07.21253094
Harrison, E.A., & Wu, J.W. (2020). Vaccine
confidence in the time of COVID-19. European
Journal of Epidemiology, 35(4), 325‑330.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-020-00634-3
Hernandez, N. D., Pairman, S., Fisher, A. C., Cheng,
R. J., & Sylvester, S. (2023). Global Cross-
Sectional Study Evaluating the Attitudes
towards a COVID-19 Vaccine in Pregnant and
Postpartum Women. Vaccines, 11(2), 390.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11020390
Huré, M., Peyronnet, V., Sibiude, J., Cazenave, M. G.,
Anselem, O., Luton, D., Vauloup-Fellous, C.,
Deruelle, P., Cordier, A. G., Benachi, A.,
Mandelbrot, L., Couffignal, C., Pauphilet, V.,
Vivanti, A. J., & Picone, O. (2022). Acceptabilité
du vaccin-Sars CoV-2 chez les femmes enceintes,
une enquête transversale par questionnaire.
Gynecologie, Obstetrique, Fertilite & Senologie,
(11), 712‑720.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gofs.2022.07.004
Inchingolo, A. D., Malcangi, G., Ceci, S., Patano, A.,
Corriero, A., Vimercati, L., Azzollini, D.,
Marinelli, G., Coloccia, G., Piras, F., Barile, G.,
Settanni, V., Mancini, A., De Leonardis, N.,
Garofoli, G., Palmieri, G., Isacco, C. G., Rapone,
B., Scardapane, A., … Inchingolo, F. (2022).
Effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines for Shortand
Long-Term Immunity : A General Overview
for the Pandemic Contrast. International Journal of
Molecular Sciences, 23(15), 8485.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158485
Jaffe, A. E., Graupensperger, S., Blayney, J. A.,
Duckworth, J. C., & Stappenbeck, C. A. (2022).
The role of perceived social norms in college
student vaccine hesitancy : Implications for
COVID-19 prevention strategies. Vaccine, 40(12),
‑1895.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.01.038
Larson, H.J., Jarrett, C., Eckersberger, E., Smith, D. M.
D., & Paterson, P. (2014). Understanding vaccine
hesitancy around vaccines and vaccination from a
global perspective : A systematic review of
published literature, 2007–2012. Vaccine, 32(19),
‑2159.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.01.081
Latkin, C., Dayton, L. A., Yi, G., Konstantopoulos, A.,
Park, J., Maulsby, C., & Kong, X. (2021). COVID-
vaccine intentions in the United States, a socialecological
framework. Vaccine, 39(16), 2288‑2294.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.02.058
Lemieux, R., Garon-Bissonnette, J., Loiselle, M., Martel,
É., Drouin-Maziade, C., & Berthelot, N. (2021).
Association entre la fréquence de consultation des
médias d’information et la détresse psychologique
chez les femmes enceintes durant la pandémie de
COVID-19 : Association between news media
consulting frequency and psychological distress in
pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 66(1), 34‑42.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743720963917
Lin, C., Parker, T., Pejavara, K., Smith, D., Tu, R., &
Tu, P. (2022). “I Would Never Push a Vaccine
on You” : A Qualitative Study of Social Norms
and Pressure in Vaccine Behavior in the U.S.
Vaccines, 10(9), Article 9.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091402
Lopez, M., Altamirano, J., Melchor, S., Perez, S.,
Maldonado, Y., Aziz, N., & Igbinosa, I. (2024).
Learning Lessons from the COVID-19
Pandemic—A Qualitative Assessment of the
Experiences of Pregnant Latinas Infected with
COVID-19 and Their Perspectives on
Vaccination. Journal of Racial and Ethnic
Health Disparities.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02010-3
MacDonald, N.E. (2015). Vaccine hesitancy :
Definition, scope and determinants. Vaccine,
(34), 4161‑4164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.036
Morau, E., Bouvet, L., Dewandre, P. Y., Vial, F.,
Bonnin, M., Chassard, D., Julliac, B., Bouthors,
A. S., Bonnet, M. P., Fisher, C., Gonzalez, M.,
Keita, H., Le Gouez, A., Rackelboom, T.,
Benhamou, D., & Mercier, F. J. (2022). Covid-
, grossesse et anesthésie réanimation
obstétricale : Bilan et perspectives. Le Praticien
En Anesthesie Reanimation, 26(2), 63‑66.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pratan.2022.01.007
Morsello, B., & Giardullo, P. (2022). Free choice in
the making : Vaccine-related activism as an
alternative form of citizenship during the
Covid-19 pandemic. (Version 1.0) [Jeu de
données]. University of Salento.
https://doi.org/10.1285/I20356609V15I3P697
Mpoyi, T., & Kabamba, M. (2023). Acceptabilité du
vaccin contre l’infection à COVID-19 dans la
population en RD. Congo. Revue
D’Epidemiologie et de Santé Publique, 71,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respe.2023.101791
Naqvi, S., Saleem, S., Naqvi, F., Billah, S. M.,
Nielsen, E., Fogleman, E., Peres‐da‐Silva, N.,
Figueroa, L., Mazariegos, M., Garces, A. L.,
Patel, A., Das, P., Kavi, A., Goudar, S. S.,
Esamai, F., Chomba, E., Lokangaka, A.,
Tshefu, A., Haque, R., … Goldenberg, R. L.
(2022). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of
pregnant women regarding COVID‐19
vaccination in pregnancy in 7 low‐ and middleincome
countries : An observational trial from the
Global Network for Women and Children’s Health
Research. Bjog, 10.1111/1471-0528.17226.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17226.
Ngandio, M. J. D. et Widobana, D. M. (2022). Evaluation
of the quality of antenatal consultations at the
Salongo 1 health center in the Gemena health zone
in the DRC. International Journal of Innovation
and Applied Studies, 37(2), 356-367.
Ormel, I., Stalteri, R., Goel, V., Horton, S., Ritchie, L. P.,
Milaney, K., Pisheh, S. M., Plouffe, R., & Law, S.
(2021). Information erronée et désinformation
relatives à la COVID-19. Note d’enjeux
CanCOVID, 5,1-44.
Ortiz-Prado, E., Simbaña-Rivera, K., Gómez- Barreno,
L., Rubio-Neira, M., Guaman, L. P., Kyriakidis, N.
C., Muslin, C., Jaramillo, A. M. G., Barba-Ostria,
C., Cevallos-Robalino, D., Sanches-SanMiguel, H.,
Unigarro, L., Zalakeviciute, R., Gadian, N., &
López-Cortés, A. (2020). Clinical, molecular, and
epidemiological characterization of the SARSCoV-
virus and the Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19), a comprehensive literature review.
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease,
(1), 115094.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.11509
Peters, M. D. J. (2022). Addressing vaccine hesitancy
and resistance for COVID-19 vaccines.
International Journal of Nursing Studies, 131,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104241
Privor-Dumm, L., Excler, J.-L., Gilbert, S., Abdool
Karim, S. S., Hotez, P. J., Thompson, D., & Kim, J.
H. (2023). Vaccine access, equity and justice :
COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination. BMJ Global
Health, 8(6), e011881.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-011881
Rabb, N., Bowers, J., Glick, D., Wilson, K. H., &
Yokum, D. (2022). The influence of social norms
varies with “others” groups : Evidence from
COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, 119(29),
e2118770119.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2118770119
Ramlawi, S., Muldoon, K. A., Dunn, S. I., Murphy, M.
S.Q., Dingwall-Harvey, A.L.J., Rennicks White, R., Fakhraei, R., Wen, S. W., Walker, M. C.,
Fell, D. B., Bogler, T., & El-Chaâr, D. (2022).
Worries, beliefs and factors influencing
perinatal COVID-19 vaccination : A crosssectional
survey of preconception, pregnant and
lactating individuals. BMC Public Health,
(1), 2418. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-
-14617-4
Rasmussen, S. A., & Jamieson, D. J. (2020).
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and
Pregnancy : Responding to a Rapidly Evolving
Situation. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 135(5),
https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.00000000000038
Rasmussen, S. A., Smulian, J. C., Lednicky, J. A.,
Wen, T. S., & Jamieson, D. J. (2020).
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and
pregnancy : What obstetricians need to know.
American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, 222(5), 415‑426.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.017
Riad, A., Jouzová, A., Üstün, B., Lagová, E., Hruban,
L., Janků, P., Pokorná, A., Klugarová, J.,
Koščík, M., & Klugar, M. (2021). COVID-19
Vaccine Acceptance of Pregnant and Lactating
Women (PLW) in Czechia : An Analytical
Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health,
(24), 13373.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413373
Roberts, H., Clark, D. A., Kalina, C., Sherman, C.,
Brislin, S., Heitzeg, M., & Hicks, B. (2022). To
vax or not to vax : Predictors of anti-vax
attitudes and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy prior
to widespread vaccine availability. PLOS ONE,
, e0264019.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264019
Rodrigues, F., Ziade, N., Jatuworapruk, K.,
Caballero-Uribe, C. V., Khursheed, T., &
Gupta, L. (2023). The Impact of Social Media
on Vaccination : A Narrative Review. Journal
of Korean Medical Science, 38(40), e326.
https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e326
Safadi, M. A. P., Spinardi, J., Swerdlow, D., &
Srivastava, A. (2022). COVID‐19 disease and
vaccination in pregnant and lactating women.
American Journal of Reproductive
Immunology, 88(1), e13550.
https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13550
Siddiqui, S., & Qamar, A. H. (2021). Risk Perception and
Protective Behavior in the Context of COVID-19 :
A Qualitative Exploration. Asian Bioethics Review,
(4), 401‑420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-
-00181-3
Simsekoglu, N., Akyuz, E., Guven, R., & Pasin, O.
(2024). Attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines
during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Frontiers in
Public Health, 12, 1286891.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1286891
Skafle, I., Nordahl-Hansen, A., Quintana, D. S., Wynn,
R., & Gabarron, E. (2022). Misinformation About
COVID-19 Vaccines on Social Media : Rapid
Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research,
(8), e37367. https://doi.org/10.2196/37367
Soares, P., Rocha, J. V., Moniz, M., Gama, A., Laires, P.
A., Pedro, A. R., Dias, S., Leite, A., & Nunes, C.
(2021). Factors Associated with COVID-19
Vaccine Hesitancy. Vaccines, 9(3), 300.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9030300
Tabari, P., Amini, M., Moghadami, M., & Moosavi, M.
(2020). International Public Health Responses to
COVID-19 Outbreak : A Rapid Review. Iranian
Journal of Medical Sciences, 45(3), 157‑169.
https://doi.org/10.30476/ijms.2020.85810.1537
Uludağ, E., Serçekuş, P., Yıldırım, D. F., & Özkan, S.
(2022). A qualitative study of pregnant women’s
opinions on COVID-19 vaccines in Turkey.
Midwifery, 114, 103459.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103459
Wang, C.-L., liu, Y.-Y., Wu, C.-H., Wang, C.-Y., Wang,
C.-H., & Long, C.-Y. (2021). Impact of COVID-19
on Pregnancy. International Journal of Medical
Sciences, 18(3), 763‑767.
https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.49923
Wawrzuta, D., Klejdysz, J., Jaworski, M., Gotlib, J., &
Panczyk, M. (2022). Attitudes toward COVID-19
Vaccination on Social Media : A Cross-Platform
Analysis. Vaccines, 10(8), 1190.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081190
Zhuang, J., Schrodt, P., & Guan, M. (2024). Social
Norms, Referent Group Specificity, and College
Students’ COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions : Risk
and Efficacy Perceptions as Boundary Conditions
of Normative Influence. International Journal of
Communication, 18(0) ,1049-1071.