Abstract
Knowledge and Attitudes of Pregnant Women towards Taking Influenza Vaccine in Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia
Mervat Ahmed Abdrabou* and Amal Abdullah Alruwaili
Corresponding Author: Mervat Ahmed Abdrabou, Department of Biology, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Revised: April 30, 2020;
Citation: Abdrabou MA & Alruwaili AA. (2020) Knowledge and Attitudes of Pregnant Women towards Taking Influenza Vaccine in Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia. J Infect Dis Res, 3(S1): 04.
Copyrights: ©2020 Abdrabou MA & Alruwaili AA. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Background: Infectious diseases effects pregnant women and cause serious complications. Vaccines are used as a protection tool for the pregnant mothers and their fetuses.

Aim of the work: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and factors associated with influenza vaccine administration in pregnant women in Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia.

Methodology: 90 questionnaires were distributed to pregnant women. The questionnaire included their general knowledge of influenza virus, influenza vaccine and risk of influenza, the benefits of taking vaccine for the mothers and fetuses and attitudes of pregnant women toward the vaccine during pregnancy.

Results: The results showed that (47.78%) of bachelor education level in pregnant women and the lowest rate was 7.78% for postgraduate. It also showed a decrease in the knowledge of pregnant women about the influenza virus, which was represented in the following terms (influenza infection is very contagious (51.11%), influenza infection is sometimes serious enough to put a person in hospital (60%), immunity decreases during pregnancy (51.11%). The results of present study showed a significant decrease (less than 50%) in the knowledge of pregnant women about influenza vaccine and (less than 30%) in the knowledge about the vaccine during pregnancy and its effect on the fetuses.

Conclusion: The results showed decrease in awareness and knowledge in pregnant women about the risks of influenza virus and influenza vaccine and decreased their knowledge about the benefits of taking the vaccine to preserve the health so study recommended that publications should be provided to pregnant women in all settings, especially in prenatal clinics, on the importance of taking the vaccine, influenza vaccine should be made available in hospitals and clinics to encourage pregnant women to take it during their clinic visits.