MIRNA – Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network in Africa & Asia
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Vaccinating women across the life course: Gendered social norms, obligations and vaccine uptake

Two papers in this issue support healthcare providers in vacci-nating women across their life courses. In the first paper, Divakaret al.3 present a synthesis of the global evidence- based recommen-dations for vaccination of women of four key age groups: adoles-cence, reproductive age and pre-conception, during pregnancy andthe postpartum period, and post-menopause. In the second paper,Hodge […]

Original researchVaccination2026DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.71338
Abstract

Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) explicitly aims to ensurethat all people benefit from immunization across the life course.1Integrating immunization with other health services helps to reachage groups beyond childhood,2 and embedding immunization intoobstetric and gynecological care will ensure women have access tovaccination at all life stages

Two papers in this issue support healthcare providers in vacci-nating women across their life courses. In the first paper, Divakaret al.3 present a synthesis of the global evidence- based recommen-dations for vaccination of women of four key age groups: adoles-cence, reproductive age and pre-conception, during pregnancy andthe postpartum period, and post-menopause. In the second paper,Hodge et al.4 review the global vaccination recommendations in thecontext of pregnancy. Both papers touch on some of the drivers ofvaccine uptake, describing programmatic, information, and trust is-sues in relation to hesitancy, and advocating for the empowermentof frontline healthcare providers as vaccine advocates through in-formation, training and support. The papers divide a woman’s lifecourse into age groupings based on vaccine preventable disease risk;however, it is important to recognize that these age groups also sig -nify significant transitions in a woman’s role in society, how she isviewed, and the societal norms and expectations she must adhere to.

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Kerrie Wiley1,2Hema Divakar 3,4Dharmintra PasupathySydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney,Sydney, Australia2Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney,Sydney, Australia3FIGO Division of Well Woman Healthcare, FIGO, London, UK4Divakars Specialty Hospital, Bengaluru, India5Reproduction and Perinatal Centre, Faculty of Medicine andHealth, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia6FIGO Committee on Infections During Pregnancy, FIGO,London, UK.ORCID: 0000-0001-9699-7754

Corresponding author: Kerrie Wiley, Sydney School of Public Health, The Universityof Sydney, Sydney, Australia

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References

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