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Establishing patterns of pregnancy exposures to COVID-19 infection and vaccine uptake in Northern Ireland

Safe People

Organisation name

Ulster University

Organisation sector

Academic Institute

Applicant name(s)

Maria Loane

Funders/ Sponsors

Higher Education Authority Ireland Collaborative North South Funding Programme 2021

DEA accredited researcher?

Yes

Safe Projects

Project ID

E098

Lay summary

Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 are at increased risk of severe illness, sometimes resulting in death, compared to non-pregnant women. They are also more likely to experience miscarriage or going into labour early compared to women who are not infected. It is particularly important that pregnant women are vaccinated therefore, to prevent these risks. Studies in England have shown that younger women and people living in poorer areas were less likely to have the vaccine, and that in addition many pregnant women were reluctant to have the vaccine, so that only a quarter of pregnant women were vaccinated against COVID-19. This study aims to describe COVID-19 infection and vaccine uptake in pregnant women and women of childbearing age in Northern Ireland (NI), and how it changed over time during the pandemic. We will also look at which factors, such as age, parity and deprivation of the area a woman lives in, influenced infection and vaccine uptake. We will do this by linking pregnancy data from the NI Maternity System (NIMATS) to COVID-19 test and vaccination data, along with the NI Multiple Deprivation Measure for the woman's address. This combined dataset can then be analysed. No data on individuals will be disclosed. The study's findings will help us better understand the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in NI and plan for future pandemics.

Public benefit statement

The findings will add to the available evidence relating to COVID-19 infection and vaccine in pregnancy, and WCBA, by providing rates specific to NI. This will help to give an in-depth assessment of the extent to which pregnant women, and WCBA, were affected by COVID-19 infection, and the success of the vaccination campaign, which can be used in future pandemic planning and inform responses to future pandemics. The involvement of the Public Health Agency in the project team will help ensure findings from this project are widely disseminated and, if required, translated into health policy and have a societal impact.

Other approval committees

Latest approval date

30/04/2024

Safe Data

Dataset(s) name

NIMATS (Northern Ireland Maternity System)

COVID Antigen Testing - pillar 1 and 2

COVID-19 Vaccination database

NIMDM

Safe Setting

Access type

TRE

Safe Outputs

Link to research outputs