Midwives' influenza vaccine uptake and their views on vaccination of pregnant women

Background: Pregnant women in England are now offered seasonal influenza vaccine. Midwives could be influential in promoting this, but specific information on their views on the policy and their role in its implementation is lacking.

Methods: London midwives were surveyed for their views on the new policy and their own vaccine uptake, using an anonymously self-completed semi-structured online survey via a convenience sampling approach.

Results: In total, 266 midwives responded. Sixty-nine percent agreed with the policy of vaccinating all pregnant women. Seventy-six percent agreed that midwives should routinely advise pregnant women on vaccination, but only 25% felt adequately prepared for this role. Just 28% wished to be vaccinators, due to concerns about increased workload and inadequate training. Forty-three percent received seasonal influenza vaccine themselves. Major reasons for non-uptake were doubts about vaccine necessity (34%), safety (25%) and effectiveness (10%); and poor arrangements for vaccination (11%). Suggested strategies for improving their own uptake included better access to evidence of effectiveness (67%) and improved work-based vaccination (45%).

Conclusions: London midwives support influenza vaccination of pregnant women, but are more willing to give advice on, than to administer, the vaccine. Midwives' own influenza vaccine uptake could improve with more information and easier access to vaccination in their workplace.