Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study

Objective: Maternal immunization during pregnancy has benefits for both women living with HIV (WLWH) and their HIV-exposed uninfected newborns. Vaccine hesitancy may hamper vaccine acceptability during pregnancy. We aimed to assess the experience of WLWH with a history of pregnancy with maternal imm...

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Main Authors: Yama Touré, Charlotte Martin, Coca Necsoi, Marc Delforge, Déborah Konopnicki, Nicolas Dauby
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Preventive Medicine Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525001469
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author Yama Touré
Charlotte Martin
Coca Necsoi
Marc Delforge
Déborah Konopnicki
Nicolas Dauby
author_facet Yama Touré
Charlotte Martin
Coca Necsoi
Marc Delforge
Déborah Konopnicki
Nicolas Dauby
author_sort Yama Touré
collection DOAJ
description Objective: Maternal immunization during pregnancy has benefits for both women living with HIV (WLWH) and their HIV-exposed uninfected newborns. Vaccine hesitancy may hamper vaccine acceptability during pregnancy. We aimed to assess the experience of WLWH with a history of pregnancy with maternal immunization. Methods: In-person quantitative survey with embedded collection of qualitative data was performed among WLWH with a history of pregnancy. Results: Between October and November 2021, a total of 20 WLWH followed at Saint-Pierre University Hospital Center HIV reference center in Brussels (Belgium) were included. The majority originated from Sub-Saharan Africa and had education level below or equivalent to secondary school. Most of the participants agreed that vaccination during pregnancy is necessary, highlighting the benefits for the health of the mother and the newborn. Reluctant participants expressed concerns about safety or lack of information. Most of the participants mentioned health-care providers (HCP) (mainly HIV physician) as the main person of trust for vaccine information in general. Social media were also mentioned as an important source of information on vaccination. Conclusions: The benefits for the mother and the newborn were associated with favorable opinion on maternal immunization while doubt about safety or lack of information appeared to be hurdles to acceptance. Proactive communication on the benefit of maternal immunization for both the mother and newborn by HIV physician and HCP involved in prenatal care is needed to increase acceptability of maternal immunization among WLWH.
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spelling doaj-art-a453876a3c844b1bb9b2b363572f98e02025-08-20T03:47:33ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552025-06-015410310710.1016/j.pmedr.2025.103107Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods studyYama Touré0Charlotte Martin1Coca Necsoi2Marc Delforge3Déborah Konopnicki4Nicolas Dauby5Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium; Centre for Environmental Health and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium; Corresponding author at: Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Rue Haute, 322, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.Objective: Maternal immunization during pregnancy has benefits for both women living with HIV (WLWH) and their HIV-exposed uninfected newborns. Vaccine hesitancy may hamper vaccine acceptability during pregnancy. We aimed to assess the experience of WLWH with a history of pregnancy with maternal immunization. Methods: In-person quantitative survey with embedded collection of qualitative data was performed among WLWH with a history of pregnancy. Results: Between October and November 2021, a total of 20 WLWH followed at Saint-Pierre University Hospital Center HIV reference center in Brussels (Belgium) were included. The majority originated from Sub-Saharan Africa and had education level below or equivalent to secondary school. Most of the participants agreed that vaccination during pregnancy is necessary, highlighting the benefits for the health of the mother and the newborn. Reluctant participants expressed concerns about safety or lack of information. Most of the participants mentioned health-care providers (HCP) (mainly HIV physician) as the main person of trust for vaccine information in general. Social media were also mentioned as an important source of information on vaccination. Conclusions: The benefits for the mother and the newborn were associated with favorable opinion on maternal immunization while doubt about safety or lack of information appeared to be hurdles to acceptance. Proactive communication on the benefit of maternal immunization for both the mother and newborn by HIV physician and HCP involved in prenatal care is needed to increase acceptability of maternal immunization among WLWH.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525001469Maternal immunizationPregnancyHIV-exposed uninfectedInfluenzaCOVID-19Vaccine hesitancy
spellingShingle Yama Touré
Charlotte Martin
Coca Necsoi
Marc Delforge
Déborah Konopnicki
Nicolas Dauby
Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
Preventive Medicine Reports
Maternal immunization
Pregnancy
HIV-exposed uninfected
Influenza
COVID-19
Vaccine hesitancy
title Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
title_full Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
title_fullStr Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
title_full_unstemmed Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
title_short Experience of maternal immunization among women living with HIV in Belgium: A mixed-methods study
title_sort experience of maternal immunization among women living with hiv in belgium a mixed methods study
topic Maternal immunization
Pregnancy
HIV-exposed uninfected
Influenza
COVID-19
Vaccine hesitancy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525001469
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