Use of social networking sites and women’s decision to receive vaccinations during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study in the UK

In the UK, it is recommended that pregnant women receive the influenza and pertussis vaccination. However, uptake of these vaccinations in certain UK regions remains low. Previous studies show that pregnant women use the internet to access health information, yet it has not been previously explored whether the use of social networking sites (SNS) influences decisions about maternal vaccination uptake. The aim of this study was to determine, if the use of SNS to gain information on pregnancy vaccinations, is associated with women’s uptake of the influenza and pertussis vaccines during pregnancy. This is a cross-sectional study with data collected using an online questionnaire posted on Mumsnet (an online parenting site), from 3rd to 24th August 2017. Women were included if they lived in the UK, were over 32 weeks pregnant, or had given birth in the last year. Participants were questioned about their pregnancy vaccination uptake, general SNS use and, their SNS use in relation to gathering information on vaccinations during pregnancy. The data was analysed using chi-square test, and univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Out of a sample of 308 participants, 305 (99.3%) of women reported using SNS and 64/308 (20.8%) of women reported using SNS to gather information on vaccinations during pregnancy. Women who reported using SNS to gather information on pregnancy vaccinations were 58% (adjusted odds ratio 0.42; 95% CI 0.21-0.87) less likely to receive the pertussis vaccination during pregnancy. However, the association was not statistically significant for the influenza vaccination (adjusted odds ratio 0.64; 95% CI 0.37-1.11). The study showed many women use SNS to gather information on pregnancy vaccinations, and this is negatively associated with their likelihood of receiving the pertussis vaccine. Future studies are needed to analyse the accuracy and quality of the vaccination information, which women find on SNS.