Vaccination during pregnancy : Vaccination coverage during pregnancy
Interactive data visualizations of vaccination coverage during pregnancy.
- Last updated: 2024-09-16
The term vaccination coverage (or immunization coverage) refers to the percentage of a population that is appropriately vaccinated against a specific vaccine-preventable disease.
The current tab presents data on vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals. By interacting with the charts on this page, you can learn how vaccination coverage in pregnancy against pertussis (whooping cough) and vaccination coverage in pregnancy against influenza (flu) have changed over time and how they vary across the provinces and territories as well as among various social and demographic groups. Additionally, data comparing vaccination coverage in Canada to coverage in other countries are also available on this page.
Definitions of pertussis (whooping cough) and influenza (flu)
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pertussis is a contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. It causes serious coughing fits that can lead to choking or vomiting. Without treatment, pertussis can last for weeks or months, and can cause brain damage or even death. Pertussis is particularly serious and most dangerous in infants and young children who are not yet eligible for vaccination or are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.
- Influenza (flu)
- Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory infection. While most people recover from influenza within a week, severe illness can occur. Some groups, including pregnant individuals, are at a greater risk of influenza-related complications. In Canada, influenza is ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death.
On this page
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy over time
Figure 1. Vaccination coverage during pregnancy over time
Pertussis vaccination coverage
Influenza vaccination coverage
43.5%
2019
64.8%
2021
45.0%
2019
52.7%
2021
Pertussis vaccination coverage
Influenza vaccination coverage
Data source: Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, 2019 and 2021
Download data (.zip)Notes on the data
- The 2019 pertussis vaccination coverage estimate was calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=4,607). At the time of data collection for the 2019 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON and BC, while AB, MB, and NL introduced public funding in January 2019, meaning that not all survey respondents from these three provinces had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2021 pertussis vaccination coverage estimate was calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=3,106). At the time of data collection for the 2021 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON, while BC introduced public funding in November 2020, meaning that not all survey respondents from BC had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2019 influenza vaccination coverage estimate was calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=2,361).
- The 2021 influenza vaccination coverage estimate was calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=1,518).
- The 2018-2019 as well as the 2020-2021 influenza vaccination campaigns began at different times across the provinces and territories. During both the 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons, the latest date on which a jurisdiction had begun its vaccination campaign was November 1st. Only respondents who had at least one month to obtain the influenza vaccine prior to delivering their baby were included in the analyses. This is why the birth timeframe considered for influenza vaccination coverage was shorter than the one considered for pertussis vaccination coverage.
Figure 1 — Text description
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy over time
| Indicator | Year | Coverage (%) | Lower confidence limit (%) | Upper confidence limit (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pertussis vaccination coverage | 2019 | 43.5 | 41.4 | 45.6 |
| Pertussis vaccination coverage | 2021 | 64.8 | 62.1 | 67.4 |
| Influenza vaccination coverage | 2019 | 45.0 | 42.1 | 47.9 |
| Influenza vaccination coverage | 2021 | 52.7 | 48.8 | 56.6 |
Data source: Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, 2019 and 2021
Between 2019 and 2021, pertussis and influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy significantly increased at the national level.
- Vaccination coverage against pertussis in pregnancy increased by over 21 percentage points between 2019 and 2021, which represents an overall increase of close to 50%. The implementation of publicly funded pertussis vaccination programs for pregnant individuals began in the provinces and territories in April 2018 and program roll-out continued until complete implementation in all jurisdictions in April 2022. Given the increasing access to the free vaccine over time, the observed increase in coverage was not unexpected.
While Canada-wide vaccination coverage against pertussis and influenza was similar among pregnant individuals in 2019, a higher percentage of them received vaccination against pertussis than against influenza in 2021.
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy by province and territory
Figure 2. Vaccination coverage against during pregnancy by province and territory in
The figure will update based on the dropdown selections. For help with interpretation, hover over, tab to, or click the provinces/territories.
Data source: Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, 2019 and 2021
Download data (.zip)Notes on the data
- The 2019 pertussis vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=4,607). At the time of data collection for the 2019 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON and BC, while AB, MB, and NL introduced public funding in January 2019, meaning that not all survey respondents from these three provinces had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2021 pertussis vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=3,106). At the time of data collection for the 2021 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON, while BC introduced public funding in November 2020, meaning that not all survey respondents from BC had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2019 influenza vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=2,361).
- The 2021 influenza vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=1,518).
- The 2018-2019 as well as the 2020-2021 influenza vaccination campaigns began at different times across the provinces and territories. During both the 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons, the latest date on which a jurisdiction had begun its vaccination campaign was November 1st. Only respondents who had at least one month to obtain the influenza vaccine prior to delivering their baby were included in the analyses. This is why the birth timeframe considered for influenza vaccination coverage was shorter than the one considered for pertussis vaccination coverage.
Figure 2 — Text description
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy by province and territory
Data source: Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, 2019 and 2021
E Estimates and confidence intervals are of marginal quality due to high sampling variability, and should be used with caution
F Estimates have been suppressed because they do not meet quality and/or confidentiality standards
↑ Rounds up to whole number
↓ Rounds down to whole number
* Statistically significant difference in vaccination coverage between 2019 and 2021
— No data to show
In both 2019 and 2021, vaccination coverage against pertussis and influenza among pregnant individuals varied considerably across the provinces and territories (P/Ts).
Between 2019 and 2021, pertussis vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals significantly increased in all P/Ts, except in Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories, where the change in vaccination coverage was not statistically significant.
Between 2019 and 2021, influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals significantly increased in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and British Columbia, while the change in vaccination coverage was not statistically significant in the other P/Ts.
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy by sociodemographic and other factors
Figure 3. vaccination coverage by
The figure will update based on the dropdown selections. For help with interpreting what you see, hover over the bars. To hide or show data for a specific year, click on that year in the legend.
Notes on the data
- The 2019 pertussis vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=4,607). At the time of data collection for the 2019 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON and BC, while AB, MB, and NL introduced public funding in January 2019, meaning that not all survey respondents from these three provinces had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2021 pertussis vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between September 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their pertussis vaccination status (n=3,106). At the time of data collection for the 2021 SVP, pertussis vaccination was not publicly funded for pregnant individuals in ON, while BC introduced public funding in November 2020, meaning that not all survey respondents from BC had access to the publicly funded vaccine during their pregnancy.
- The 2019 influenza vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2018 and March 1st, 2019 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=2,361).
- The 2021 influenza vaccination coverage estimates were calculated using data collected from biological mothers who gave birth between December 1st, 2020 and March 1st, 2021 and knew their influenza vaccination status (n=1,518).
- The 2018-2019 as well as the 2020-2021 influenza vaccination campaigns began at different times across the provinces and territories. During both the 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 influenza seasons, the latest date on which a jurisdiction had begun its vaccination campaign was November 1st. Only respondents who had at least one month to obtain the influenza vaccine prior to delivering their baby were included in the analyses. This is why the birth timeframe considered for influenza vaccination coverage was shorter than the one considered for pertussis vaccination coverage.
- Data on race, remoteness of residence, and the four dimensions of the Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation were not available for both survey years; therefore, these variables were not included in the 2019 vs. 2021 comparisons.
Figure 3 — Text description
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy by sociodemographic and other factors
Data source: Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, 2019 and 2021
E Estimates and confidence intervals are of marginal quality due to high sampling variability, and should be used with caution
F Estimates have been suppressed because they do not meet quality and/or confidentiality standards
↑ Rounds up to whole number
↓ Rounds down to whole number
* Statistically significant difference in vaccination coverage between 2019 and 2021
— No data to show
Overall, between 2019 and 2021, pertussis vaccination coverage during pregnancy significantly increased in most of the groups we studied. However, no statistically significant changes were observed among pregnant individuals aged 15–24 years and those aged 40+, those receiving prenatal care from health care providers (HCPs) other than obstetricians, gynecologists, general practitioners, family doctors, and midwives, and those who were not married or living common-law.
Between 2019 and 2021, influenza vaccination coverage significantly increased among pregnant individuals:
- aged 30-34 years
- whose household income was between $40,000 and $79,999
- with a Bachelor’s degree or higher educational attainment
- whose prenatal health care provider (HCP) was an obstetrician/gynecologist
- who were married or living common-law
- who were born outside of Canada
- who lived in urban areas or lower income neighbourhoods
- who were first-time mothers
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy in Canada compared to select other countries
Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) compiles and publishes data on influenza and pertussis vaccination coverage during pregnancy. The country-specific estimates presented below were released by the WHO during the 2021 and 2022 reporting cycles. The 2021 and 2022 WHO estimates shown for Canada were collected through the 2019 and 2021 Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy (SVP), respectively, and were reported to the WHO by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Figure 4. Pertussis vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals in select countries as reported by the WHO in 2021 and 2022
Data source: World Health Organization Immunization Data Portal (accessed November 24, 2023)
Download data (.zip)Notes on the data
- Immunization coverage data are collected annually from participating countries through the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form (JRF) on Immunization. These data are made available annually in mid-July and updated thereafter as country data are received by the WHO.
- Data reported by Canada for 2021 and 2022 were reported from the 2019 and 2021 Survey on Vaccination during Pregnancy, respectively.
- Only countries that are often benchmarked against Canada in healthcare comparisons (i.e., the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Sweden, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and New Zealand) were considered for selection. Pertussis vaccination coverage results were available for only the USA and Netherlands; influenza vaccination coverage results (not shown on the chart) were available only for the United Kingdom.
- Caution should be exercised when interpreting and using these data. Description of the denominator of the target group in the reporting countries may vary and may be incomplete or different than the denominator suggested in the reporting form. Therefore, differences in coverage estimates observed between countries may be, at least to some extent, the result of methodological differences.
- Differences between the countries’ data collection methods such as administrative systems and surveys may impact the reported coverage estimates.
Figure 4 — Text description
Vaccination coverage during pregnancy in Canada compared to select other countries
Data source: World Health Organization Immunization Data Portal (accessed November 24, 2023)
Data on pertussis and influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy were not available through the WHO Immunization Data Portal for all of the countries considered in this analysis.
The available data suggest that, in 2021, pertussis vaccination coverage among pregnant individuals in Canada was lower than in the United States of America (USA) and the Netherlands. However, by 2022, vaccination coverage in Canada exceeded that of the USA and was comparable to that of the Netherlands.
Among countries considered for this analysis, international comparator data for 2021 and 2022 on influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy was only available for the United Kingdom (UK) and is not included in the graph. In 2021, influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy was similar in Canada and the UK (45% in Canada and 44% in the UK); however, coverage was higher in Canada than in the UK in 2022 (53% in Canada and 39% in the UK).
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