Mohamed Pauzi Muhammad Hafiz, Abdul Kadir Azidah, Muhamad Rosediani, Mat Yudin Zainab
Department of Family Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Outpatient Family Health Clinic, Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 8;20(8):e0329895. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329895. eCollection 2025.
COVID-19 vaccination is crucial for pregnant women to protect against severe complications during pregnancy. However, vaccine hesitancy and refusal can affect acceptance rates among this vulnerable group, posing risks to both maternal and fetal health. This research was conducted to explore the barriers and facilitators influencing COVID-19 vaccination among Malaysian pregnant women.
This qualitative study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological design. Nineteen pregnant women receiving antenatal care at three clinics in Kelantan between February 2024 and June 2024 were purposively selected to participate in in-depth interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software alongside manual coding. Thematic analysis, incorporating both inductive and deductive approaches, was conducted to identify key themes.
Most pregnant women expressed hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy due to various concerns. Our findings identified four key themes as barriers to vaccination: (i) Fear of side effects, (ii) Negative social influences, (iii) Perception of returning to normalcy, and (iv) Vaccine scepticism and prejudice. Conversely, three themes emerged as facilitators of vaccine acceptance: (i) Concerns about the effects of COVID-19 infection, (ii) Trust in the vaccine, and (iii) Personal and shared vaccination experiences.
This study identified key factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. These findings highlight the importance of addressing both personal and social dimensions of vaccine hesitancy. Public health interventions should focus on building trust, countering misinformation, and leveraging positive community experiences to encourage vaccine uptake, particularly in populations where hesitancy remains a concern.
新冠病毒疫苗接种对于孕妇预防孕期严重并发症至关重要。然而，疫苗犹豫和拒绝会影响这一弱势群体的接种率，对母婴健康构成风险。本研究旨在探讨影响马来西亚孕妇接种新冠病毒疫苗的障碍和促进因素。
本定性研究采用诠释现象学设计。2024年2月至2024年6月期间，在吉兰丹州的三家诊所接受产前护理的19名孕妇被有目的地挑选出来参与深入访谈。访谈进行了录音，逐字转录，并使用NVivo软件结合手动编码进行分析。采用归纳和演绎相结合的主题分析法来确定关键主题。
大多数孕妇由于各种担忧而对孕期接种新冠病毒疫苗表示犹豫。我们的研究结果确定了四个关键主题作为接种疫苗的障碍：（i）对副作用的恐惧，（ii）负面社会影响，（iii）恢复正常的认知，以及（iv）疫苗怀疑和偏见。相反，出现了三个主题作为疫苗接受的促进因素：（i）对新冠病毒感染影响的担忧，（ii）对疫苗的信任，以及（iii）个人和共同的接种经历。
本研究确定了影响新冠病毒疫苗犹豫的关键因素。这些发现凸显了解决疫苗犹豫的个人和社会层面问题的重要性。公共卫生干预措施应侧重于建立信任、反驳错误信息以及利用积极的社区经验来鼓励疫苗接种，特别是在犹豫仍然令人担忧的人群中。
