Shihoko Komine-Aizawa: Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan. ORCID
Naotake Yamada: Institute of Journalism and Media, Nihon University, Tokyo 101-8375, Japan.
Yasuo Haruyama: Integrated Research Faculty for Advanced Medical Sciences, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. ORCID
Masashi Deguchi: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.
Mitsuru Fukuda: College of Risk Management, Nihon University, Tokyo 154-8513, Japan.
Kei Kawana: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
Gen Kobashi: Department of Public Health, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan.
Etsuko Miyagi: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. ORCID
Hideto Yamada: Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo 006-8555, Japan.
Takashi Sugiyama: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon 791-0295, Japan.
Satoshi Hayakawa: Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan. ORCID
Pregnant women presumably gather information about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from various sources. However, it is difficult for pregnant women who are not medical professionals to source the appropriate information because of the infodemic related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate how pregnant women gathered information about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination. To address this issue, we conducted an online questionnaire survey between 5 October and 22 November 2021, which was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nihon University School of Medicine. We received 4962 responses after excluding 1179 insufficient answers. Our study found that age, occupation, and infection-risk anxiety influenced the selection of media for obtaining information. Pregnant women who were older, medical professionals, public servants, or educators tended to rely on specialized medical websites, whereas housewives tended to use mass media, social media, and sources with uncertain scientific evidence. Additionally, the number of weeks of gestation and the method of conception (natural or assisted reproductive conception) affected the selection of media. The accessibility of COVID-19 information for pregnant women was determined by their social background and pregnancy status. We need to continue making efforts to ensure that appropriate information is readily available to pregnant women and their families.
