COVID-19 disease and vaccination in pregnancy: understanding knowledge, perceptions and experiences among pregnant women and community leaders in Uganda

Background: We investigated pregnant women and community leaders’ knowledge, perceptions and experiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program during pregnancy in Uganda and how this changed over the course of the pandemic.

Methods: We conducted 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and two group discussions (GDs) with pregnant women and four GDs with community leaders in Kawempe division of Kampala, Uganda. The first round of IDIs/GDs were carried out in March 2021. In July 2021, telephone IDIs were conducted with 7 pregnant women and 10 community leaders randomly selected from first-round interview participants. Themes were analysed deductively drawing codes from the topic guides.

Results: In the first round, the majority of participants thought COVID-19 was not real because of misconceptions around government messaging/motivation and beliefs that Africans would not be affected. In the second round, participants recognised COVID-19 disease, because of rising case numbers and fatalities. There was increased awareness of the benefits of the vaccine. However, pregnant women remained unsure of vaccine safety and quality, citing side effects like fevers and general body weakness. Role models and coherent public health messaging and healthcare workers were key enablers of vaccine uptake.

Conclusions: Targeted and sustained COVID-19 communication and engagement strategies are needed, especially for pregnant women and others in their communities, to improve vaccine confidence during outbreaks.