COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and associated factors among women attending antenatal and postnatal cares in Central Gondar Zone public hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia

Introduction: The Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is a public health problem, which caused a major impact on morbidity and mortality around the world. Even though an effective vaccine is the most awaited resolution for the pandemic, little is known about COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess vaccine acceptance and its associated factors among pregnant and postnatal mothers. Method: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 527 pregnant and postnatal mothers from August 15 to September 15, 2021. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Epi-Data version 4.6 and Stata 16 software were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Participant characteristics and rate of vaccine acceptance were presented using descriptive statistics. Multi-variable logistic regression was performed to identify statistically significant variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to declare statistical significance based on p < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression model. Result: The overall prevalence of intent to accept COVID-19 vaccine was 62.04% (95% CI: 57.65, 66.25). Of those 40.08% were pregnant mothers and 21.97% of them were postpartum mothers. Urban residence (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.09-3.77), respondents who were worry about COVID-19 disease (AOR = 3.46, 95% CI: 2.16-5.52), and participants who had favorable attitude towards vaccine (AOR = 8.54, 95% CI: 5.18-14.08) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: Our findings showed that the willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination was low. Residence, worry about COVID-19 disease, and attitudes towards vaccine were factors significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Evidence-based and clear information on COVID-19 vaccines should be provided to pregnant and postnatal mothers for both rural and urban residences to improve attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine and increase vaccination rates.