COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and news consumption patterns among pregnant and postpartum individuals in an urban setting.

Objectives: Pregnant individuals face increased COVID-19 symptom severity, yet vaccination rates remain low. The study aimed to identify strategies for improving vaccine adherence by examining pregnant individuals' attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine and their news consumption habits. Case presentation: A total of 58 pregnant and postpartum individuals were surveyed in the Obstetrics & Gynecology clinic at an urban academic medical center in Newark, NJ from June to December 2023. The 88-item survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, vaccination status, pandemic-related risk perception, resource accessibility, and news sources. Sixty-six percent of participants reported receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinated individuals were more likely to agree with pro-vaccine statements. Many respondents, regardless of vaccination status, selected "neither agree nor disagree" for anti-vaccine claims including those related to infertility or miscarriage. Participants who preferred traditional news sources (e.g. television broadcasts) were more likely to support pro-vaccine statements, while social media users expressed greater uncertainty. Conclusions: Concerns about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine were key in hesitancy among pregnant individuals, with social media contributing to this hesitancy. Our study highlights the need for holistic and effective communication from healthcare providers, evidence-based information across media platforms, and increased vaccine accessibility to improve vaccine adherence.