The need for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been unrecognized by more than half of US adults, according to a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania.1
Only 38% of survey respondents indicated they would recommend pregnant patients receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and fewer women than men expressed belief that the vaccine is safe during pregnancy. This highlighted increasing controversy about vaccination use to protect pregnant women and their infants following updated recommendations in May 2025.
Key takeaways
- 42% of surveyed adults consider COVID-19 vaccination safe during pregnancy.
- Reproductive-aged women were less likely to endorse vaccine safety compared with other adults.
- Only 52% correctly identified that vaccination reduces hospitalization risk from COVID-19 infection.
- CDC withdrawal of pregnancy vaccination guidance (May 2025) has coincided with declining public confidence.
- Recommendation rates remain low for other maternal vaccines, including influenza (48%), Tdap (46%), and RSV (31%).
“Even though those in charge of the CDC have withdrawn its support for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, the science showing the value of that vaccination has not changed,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, PhD, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
Survey results highlight gender and age gaps
The survey was conducted in August 2025 and included approximately 1700 US adults. Based on the responses, 28% of women aged 18 to 49 years believed it is false to say the COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy vs 20% of other adults. For the mRNA vaccine, these rates were 36% and 45%, respectively.
Overall, only 42% of surveyed adults believed that COVID-19 vaccination is safe during pregnancy. Investigators also highlighted a significant rise in reproductive-aged women believing it is false to state the vaccine is safe during pregnancy, from 19% in April 2024 to 28% in August 2025.
Knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy was also assessed. Correctly identifying the vaccine’s efficacy toward reducing hospitalization risk with COVID-19 was reported by 52% of patients, but 29% were not sure of this association and 19% believed this statement is false.
Knowledge gaps on vaccine benefits
Additionally, the odds of correctly identifying that vaccination protects against hospitalization were reduced in reproductive-aged women. Rates for this belief were only 43% among this population vs 55% among other adults.
