Managing Uncertainty: Women's Perceptions of the COVID-19 Vaccine and Fertility

Abstract

During the last two years, women of reproductive age (WRA) have experienced uncertainty about the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly as it relates to reproductive health (e.g., fertility) due to the COVID-19 infodemic. Because WRA are a pivotal population in pandemic control, it is important to understand how WRA manage vaccine-related uncertainty. Uncertainty management theory (UMT) considers the complexities of uncertainty, acknowledging that individual appraisals of, and responses to, uncertainty may vary from person to person and evolve over time. This study examined factors contributing to WRA’s hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, including uncertainty about potential side effects, concern about safety and efficacy, and conflicting information. WRA most frequently felt neutral towards their uncertainty; however, negative emotional responses to uncertainty played an influential role in many WRA’s responses to uncertainty (e.g., avoiding information, seeking information, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine). The findings of this study provided insight on how WRA have experienced uncertainty about the COVID-19 vaccine, including their emotional responses to and subsequent appraisals of their uncertainty which ultimately influenced their responses.