Rise in maternity ward vaccines but misinformation still being shared

Chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Dr Cliona Murphy said many women still struggle to get accurate information, which is leading to lower rates of vaccination. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Misinformation about vaccines in pregnancy is still being shared even by some fertility providers, despite a significant rise in uptake of doses in maternity wards.

That is according to the chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dr Cliona Murphy, who welcomed a HSE survey which found across the 19 maternity units the vaccination rate has risen on average to 58% from 30%.

However she said in her experience, many women still struggle to get accurate information, which is leading to lower rates in some units.

One of the groups I have found particularly hesitant is women who went through fertility treatment and unfortunately they have got negative messaging against the vaccine.” 

“I have written to quite a few of the fertility providers updating them, and saying vaccination is a recommendation, asking them to support vaccination as the safest choice,” she said 

She said some replied they are supporting the vaccines, but some patients told her they were advised to defer the vaccine until the third trimester – which is not the current advice. 

Pop-up vaccine clinics

Dr Murphy, an obstetrician at the Coombe hospital, said pop-up vaccine clinics in hospitals have made the process more accessible, especially for women who have older children they cannot take to a mass vaccination centre.

The clinics are also open to families of pregnant women, as this is often the source of a woman’s Covid infection, she said. It is important to respect women’s decisions and to share information in different ways, Dr Murphy said. 

“The women themselves put the baby first. When I explain some babies are born early, and that is prematurity due to Covid, then they can see the reason to get the vaccine as it is protection for their baby,” she said.

The HSE survey was released by Dr Peter McKenna, clinical director for the women and infants health programme, on Thursday. 

“Of those [women], 58% were fully vaccinated, and 74% of their partners were fully vaccinated. Since September, there have been 15 admissions of pregnant women in intensive care in Ireland. Of those, none have been fully vaccinated, and two I believe were partially vaccinated,” he said.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn also urged pregnant women to consider vaccination, posting on social media about the “higher risk of preterm birth, high blood pressure, postpartum haemorrhage and stillbirth”.

Meanwhile, the HSE is working with Cork-based company Translate Ireland to produce videos on vaccination for pregnant women in 14 languages. The videos are voiced by migrant GPs, doctors and clinicians.