PUBLIC POLICY OF PREGNANT WOMEN VACCINATION IN UKRAINE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . Protection of motherhood and childhood in Ukraine is considered as a strategic national priority, which is important for ensuring the national security of Ukraine, the effectiveness of the internal policy of the state. Since pregnant women are at risk, more likely to suffer from serious ailments and have a higher risk of premature birth if they develop COVID-19, influenza or other infectious diseases, improving the state's immunoprevention strategy is urgently needed in today's environment. M e t h o d s . The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the situation regarding the vaccination of pregnant women in Ukraine with the identification of problem areas, with further substantiation of recommendations for the development of the public strategy for immunoprophylaxis of pregnant women in Ukraine. To achieve this goal the main tasks were the following: to find out the attitude of pregnant women and women in labor to vaccination, in particular, regarding the infection of COVID-19; develop international documents and national policies on the prevention of infectious diseases in pregnant women; to analyze problematic issues in the context of the formation and implementation of the current strategy of vaccination of pregnant women in Ukraine. R e s u l t s . The results of the study showed: more than half of the respondents had symptoms or were sick with COVID-19 before giving birth; only 17 percent of respondents expressed the desire to prevent a severe course of the disease through vaccination; despite the massive spread of fake information about vaccination and against the background of an active anti-vaccination movement, pregnant women still trust information from the Internet, friends or the media more than medical workers to make decisions about their health; among those who have not been vaccinated in the respondent group, almost 60 percent of women still hesitate or do not want to be vaccinated. С o n c l u s i o n s . Given that pregnant women are at increased risk of serious complications from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, increasing data and knowledge about vaccination in this target group is important to help reduce vaccination hesitancy. The data analyzed do not support an increased risk of adverse outcomes after vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy, therefore vaccination should be recommended because the benefits of vaccination during pregnancy appear to outweigh any potential risks. Monitoring and analysis of the course of infectious diseases in pregnant women in Ukraine is necessary to make sure that the recommendations and management decisions made are correct. Targeted interventions should be explored to maximize the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women, particularly at risk. As an effective mechanism of the monitoring and analysis system for managed infections, we propose to consider the creation of an electronic register of vaccinations for pregnant women and an "immunization passport".