Most folks realize it is not secure to smoke or drink alcohol whereas pregnant, and most know that how nicely a pregnant individual takes care of their well being impacts the well being of their child. But do they know what vaccines are really useful for pregnant folks by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?

While a lot of the general public is acquainted with some details about staying wholesome throughout being pregnant and having a wholesome child, there are substantial gaps in data about maternal well being, in line with new survey knowledge from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania. The findings come amid a maternal well being disaster within the United States, which has the best maternal mortality price of any developed nation, greater than double the speed of peer nations, in line with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In addition, the survey, performed almost a 12 months after the federal authorities launched the brand new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, finds that simply 10% of the general public is aware of the quantity.

“The Suicide Lifeline’s ability to save lives presupposes that those in need know the 988 number,” stated APPC Director Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who directs the survey. “We need to redouble our efforts to add 988 to the numbers everyone has at hand.”

The survey, performed with a nationally consultant panel of 1,601 U.S. adults from May 31-June 6, 2023, finds:

• Just over 1 in 4 folks (27%) know that the CDC recommends that pregnant people get a Tdap vaccine against whooping cough.
• Just over half of these surveyed know that getting vaccinated towards Covid-19 throughout being pregnant is secure (52%) and that getting vaccinated towards Covid-19 can scale back the danger of issues from the illness (55%) that may have an effect on a being pregnant.
• Only 1 / 4 of these surveyed (26%) know {that a} pregnant one who will get the flu is at larger danger of delivering the newborn early.
• Nearly 3 in 4 folks (73%) know that having untreated hypertension will increase the chance {that a} pregnant individual could have a stroke.

APPC’s Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge survey

The survey knowledge come from the 11^th wave of a nationally consultant panel of 1,601 U.S. adults, first empaneled in April 2021, performed for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an unbiased market analysis firm. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was fielded May 31-June 6, 2023. It has a margin of sampling error (MOE) of ± 3.3 proportion factors on the 95% confidence degree. Survey knowledge on public data about RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, was beforehand launched. See the topline for query wording.

Download the topline and the methodology.

Vaccinations and being pregnant

Asked which vaccinations the CDC recommends people get throughout being pregnant, majorities know that the CDC doesn’t suggest a chickenpox or measles vaccine, that are reside virus vaccines:

• 87% know that the CDC doesn’t suggest the chickenpox vaccine
• 85% know that the CDC doesn’t suggest a measles shot
• But 73% incorrectly stated the CDC doesn’t suggest a vaccine for whooping cough generally known as Tdap throughout being pregnant – the truth is, the CDC does suggest the whooping cough vaccine throughout being pregnant, as 27% know.

Both the Tdap vaccine towards whooping cough and the flu shot are inactivated vaccines and are really useful by the CDC throughout every being pregnant. During being pregnant, the CDC recommends the flu shot, not the reside attenuated vaccine generally known as LAIV or nasal spray.

Natural immunity: Two-thirds of these surveyed (67%) know it’s false to say that as a result of infants are born with pure immunity, they do not have to be vaccinated towards childhood diseases till they’re prone to be uncovered to them. But one-third of these surveyed assume both that that is true (17%) or will not be positive (16%).

The flu and being pregnant

In a collection of true-or-false questions:

• Only 1 in 4 folks (26%) know {that a} pregnant one who will get the flu is at larger danger of delivering the newborn early. About the identical quantity (27%) assume that’s false. Nearly half of these surveyed (46%) will not be positive.
• Only half of these surveyed (52%) know it’s true {that a} flu shot protects pregnant folks and their infants from severe well being issues each throughout and after being pregnant.

Covid-19 and being pregnant

The CDC says that pregnant folks “are more likely to get severely ill with Covid-19 compared with non-pregnant people.” The CDC says pregnant folks “can receive a Covid-19 vaccine” and that getting the vaccine throughout being pregnant can stop a person from getting severely in poor health from Covid-19. The survey discovered that:

• Over half (55%) know it’s false to assert that Covid-19 vaccination impacts a pair’s possibilities of getting pregnant, however 15% incorrectly assume it’s true and 30% will not be positive.
• Only 1 in 5 folks (22%) know it’s true that Covid-19 vaccines could cause “a small, temporary increase in the length of a vaccinated person’s menstrual cycle,” whereas 17% incorrectly say it’s false and most of the people (61%) are not sure.
• Just over half of these surveyed (52%) know that Covid-19 vaccination throughout being pregnant is secure, whereas 22% incorrectly assume it’s false and 26% will not be positive.
• Just over half (55%) know that getting a Covid-19 vaccine can scale back the danger of Covid-19 issues that may have an effect on a being pregnant, whereas 17% incorrectly say that is false and 28% will not be positive.
• Just over half (56%) know that Covid-19 vaccination throughout being pregnant is efficient at minimizing the possibilities of hospitalization with Covid-19, whereas 25% will not be positive and 19% say it’s false.
• Over 1 in 3 folks know (36%) that getting a Covid-19 vaccine throughout being pregnant can defend an toddler from start to 6 months of age from Covid-related hospital stays. But 23% assume that is false and 41% will not be positive.

Other maternal well being dangers

Many of these surveyed are conscious of sure well being dangers:

• 73% know that untreated hypertension will increase the chance that somebody who’s pregnant could have a stroke, although 21% say they aren’t positive and 6% incorrectly assume it’s false.
• 78% know that pregnant folks ought to be examined for diabetes, although 16% will not be positive and 6% incorrectly assume it’s false. According to the CDC, from 1 in 50 to 1 in 20 pregnant girls has gestational diabetes, which generally doesn’t go away after supply or can return as kind 2 diabetes.
• 90% know that how nicely an individual takes care of their well being earlier than getting pregnant impacts the well being of their child.
• 92% know that how nicely an individual takes care of their well being throughout their being pregnant impacts the well being of their child.

Smoking and ingesting alcohol

After years of warnings concerning the risks of smoking, many within the public are educated concerning the potential harms throughout being pregnant:

• 72% know that smoking throughout being pregnant will increase the possibilities that the newborn shall be born early, although 18% will not be positive and 10% assume that is false.
• 83% know that smoking throughout being pregnant will increase the possibilities that the newborn could have start defects, although 9% will not be positive and eight% assume that is false.
• 85% know it’s false to say that ingesting wine or beer whereas pregnant is secure although 8% say that is true and 6% will not be positive.

Smoking and SIDS: Fewer individuals are conscious of the connection between smoking and sudden toddler dying syndrome, or SIDS. Just over half (52%) know that smoking within the residence of a child will increase the possibilities that the newborn will die from sudden toddler dying syndrome, whereas 30% will not be positive and 18% say that is false.

Smoking and start weight: Asked what impact smoking throughout being pregnant would seemingly have on a child’s weight at start, most (76%) stated it will increase the possibilities that the smoker’s child shall be underweight at start, in contrast with those that assume it will increase the possibilities the newborn shall be chubby (2%) or haven’t any impact on the newborn’s weight (2%). Twenty % weren’t positive.

Drinking and being pregnant: Asked which assertion is most correct, 65% know that somebody who desires to get pregnant ought to cease ingesting alcohol earlier than being pregnant and never drink throughout being pregnant – in contrast with 25% who say somebody who desires to get pregnant ought to cease ingesting as quickly as they study they’re pregnant, 4% who say somebody who desires to get pregnant ought to restrict their alcohol consumption whereas pregnant to 2 drinks a day, and 6% who will not be positive. The CDC says somebody who’s making an attempt to get pregnant would possibly already be pregnant, so “the best advice is for women to stop drinking alcohol when they start trying to get pregnant.”

Pregnancy well being care

Folic acid: Most of these surveyed know that pregnant folks ought to take nutritional vitamins containing folic acid: 76% know that people who’re or could grow to be pregnant ought to take a every day vitamin that comprises folic acid, which is a B vitamin, although 21% will not be positive and three% say it’s false. The CDC recommends this for people who find themselves pregnant.

Pregnancy weight achieve: Asked which is probably the most correct assertion about weight achieve for an individual of “normal weight” throughout being pregnant, 45% appropriately say a achieve of between 25 and 35 kilos; 24% say a achieve of between 5 and 10 kilos; 26% will not be positive; and 5% say “try not to gain weight during pregnancy.” The CDC says 25 to 35 kilos is the really useful weight achieve for an individual of regular weight.

Benefits from breastfeeding: 71% know it is most correct to say that breastfeeding benefits each the breastfed child and mum or dad, versus 17% who say it advantages the newborn, 1% who say it is the mum or dad and 1% neither. The CDC says breastfeeding advantages each child and mum or dad.

Putting a new child to sleep

How to place a child all the way down to sleep: 61% appropriately say a brand new child ought to be put all the way down to sleep on its again, 12% say on its facet, 12% say on its abdomen, and 15% will not be positive. The CDC recommends placing a child to sleep on its again.

Avoid comfortable bedding: The CDC recommends conserving “soft bedding such as blankets, pillows, bumper pads, and soft toys out of their baby’s sleep area…” however a lot of these surveyed will not be conscious of this. Asked which of the next ought to be saved out of a child’s sleep space:

• 72% say that pillows ought to be saved out of a child’s sleep space
• 69% say comfortable toys
• 54% say comfortable bedding reminiscent of blankets
• 43% say bumper pads

Mental well being: The 988 suicide lifeline

The Annenberg survey additionally sought to find out whether or not the general public had grow to be acquainted with the brand new three-digit Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988, launched in July 2022. Nearly a 12 months after its introduction, nevertheless, the survey discovered that solely 20% of these surveyed stated they knew the quantity – and when requested to supply it, simply over half that group might accomplish that, or 10% of the whole.

This discovering will not be statistically totally different from January 2023, 4 and a half months earlier, when 9% might present the quantity – suggesting that there was little progress in familiarizing the general public with a vitally vital suicide-prevention useful resource.

By distinction, 86% of the general public is aware of to dial the quantity 911 when somebody is experiencing a well being emergency.

The topline with knowledge from this wave of the survey is available here.