Medicaid moms more hesitant on COVID vax

ASHVILLE, N.C. – New mothers with Medicaid were more apprehensive about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine than those with private insurance, according to a survey from Aeroflow Breastpumps.  

Among women surveyed who did not have access to the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding, the majority with Medicaid (64%) reported they would not at all feel comfortable getting vaccinated if it was available to them and nearly half (47%) of those with private insurance said the same. 

"It's important that new mothers feel comfortable with and informed about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine given the proven safety and efficacy in protecting mothers and babies against the virus," said Dr. Jessica Madden, board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist, IBCLC, and medical director of Aeroflow Breastpumps. "Since this study took place in July 2021, various health organizations, including the CDC, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, updated their vaccine recommendations for pregnant/breastfeeding women toward the end of summer, asserting that the vaccines are safe and encouraging all pregnant and breastfeeding women to get vaccinated. However, we are still seeing pregnant and breastfeeding women hesitant to receive the vaccine, especially among women of lower socioeconomic status, which is concerning given the higher rates of high-risk pregnancies in those populations." 

Among mothers with Medicaid, 16% received the vaccine while breastfeeding, 39% chose not to receive the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding and 44% reported the vaccine was not available to them while pregnant or breastfeeding 

Among all women surveyed who chose not to get the vaccine, there were four main reasons: They're not sure if it's safe for them or the baby (60%); they had concerns about adverse side effects (57%); they don't feel comfortable getting the vaccine in any situation (52%); and they don't know what's in the vaccine (36%). 

Among all women surveyed who received the vaccine, the top three reasons were: They wanted to protect themselves and their baby from getting COVID (84%); they knew they would now be able to pass the COVID antibodies to the baby (68%); and they felt it was a safe vaccine for them and the baby (60%).