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Suggested citation: [Author names; first three, then et al., if more than six.] [Report title]. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:[inclusive page numbers].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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US Department of Health and Human Services | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | MMWR | September 29, 2023 | Vol. 72 | No. 39
outcomes (2–4). Similarly, influenza
†
and tetanus toxoid,
reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap)
§
vaccines are recommended and can be safely administered
during pregnancy. Health care providers (HCPs) have a unique
opportunity to counsel women of reproductive age, including
pregnant and postpartum patients, about the importance of
receiving COVID-19, influenza, and Tdap vaccinations (5,6).
Data from the Fall 2022 DocStyles survey were analyzed to
examine the attitudes and practices related to COVID-19 vac-
cination among HCPs caring for women of reproductive age,
and to ascertain whether providers recommended and offered
or administered the COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant patients.
Methods
The Fall 2022 DocStyles survey, administered during
August 19–September 30, 2022, was a web-based nonprobabil-
ity panel survey of U.S. HCPs
¶
sampled from Sermo’s global
medical panel.** Quotas were predetermined to reach 1,000
family practitioners and internists, 250 obstetrician-gynecolo-
gists (ob-gyns), 250 pediatricians, and 250 nurse practitioners
and physician assistants. Eligible respondents practiced only in
†
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/rr/rr6703a1.htm?s_cid = rr6703a1_w
§
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6903a5.htm
¶
DocStyles is commissioned by Porter Novelli Public Services. http://styles.
porternovelli.com
** Sermo’s global medical panel comprises 350,000 panelists who were verified
using a double opt-in sign-up process with telephone confirmation at place
of work. http://www.sermo.com
the United States, were actively seeing patients, had been prac-
ticing for ≥3 years, and provided care to women of reproduc-
tive age (female patients aged 15–49 years). Participation was
voluntary, and respondents received an honorarium ranging
from $55 to $65 depending on how many questions they were
asked. The survey was designed to ascertain provider attitudes
and practices on a broad range of health care topics, including
COVID-19 vaccination for women of reproductive age and
pregnant patients, and to determine whether HCPs recom-
mended and offered or administered COVID-19, influenza,
and Tdap vaccines during pregnancy.
Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine provider
characteristics (age, gender, number of years in practice, pri-
mary work setting, number of patients seen per week, and
percentage of patients who were pregnant during the previous
year) overall and by provider type. Prevalence of COVID-19
vaccination attitudes and practices with reference to women
of reproductive age overall and by selected provider char-
acteristics were estimated, and Pearson’s chi-square tests of
independence were used to identify differences among groups,
with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant. Factors
associated with recommending and offering or administering
COVID-19 vaccines on-site to pregnant patients were exam-
ined using binomial regression (log-linked binomial) models;
provider characteristics and influenza and Tdap vaccination
attitudes and practices related to pregnant patients were con-
sidered as potential covariates. In multivariable modeling,