Reduction of Vaccination Apprehension among Pregnant Women in India

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Reduction of Vaccination Apprehension among Pregnant Women in India

On Tuesday, city gynecologists and officials from the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) informed that vaccination apprehension among pregnant women was on the reduction, with many receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.

Obstetricians in the city have started strategies to counter vaccination apprehension among pregnant women, advising them to receive the vaccine. The president of the Pune Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, Sunita Tandulwadkar, stated, “about 80% of my patients have taken both doses. We are increasingly seeing vaccine hesitancy diminishing among pregnant women, as we have been telling them about the serious implications of contracting Covid during pregnancy”.

Tandulwadkar, who is also the Ruby Hall Clinic's lead IVF consultant and endoscopist, revealed that majority of her in vitro fertilization patients were also vaccinated.  She said, “Obstetricians and gynecologists at city, state and national levels are working hard to promote vaccination among pregnant women through webinars, live programes and awareness campaigns”.

Due to erroneous messaging on social media and other platforms, vaccination reluctance has crept in among pregnant women, according to FOGSI vice-president Bipin Pandit. Pandit claimed that all of his patients had been vaccinated.

Obstetricians, according to senior gynecologist Sanjay Gupte, owner and medical director of Gupte hospital, play a key role in ensuring their patients are jabbed. “Patients always ask us before opting for vaccination and thus, doctors have a big role to play.”