The results of two nationwide surveys suggest a growing number of new and expectant mothers are questioning the safety, efficacy and necessity of vaccines for their kids. The results track with a recent poll, conducted by Zogby Strategies and funded by Children's Health Defense, showing 60% of parents of young children believe it's time to review the childhood vaccine schedule.

Sixty percent of pregnant women and young mothers are considering delaying or refusing routine vaccinations for their children, while only 40% plan to follow the full childhood vaccination schedule, according to the results of two nationwide surveys.

The findings, published Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open, showed that vaccine uncertainty was highest among pregnant women who had previously given birth and parents of young children.

Approximately 25% of parents of young children said they would refuse at least some childhood vaccines for their kids, as did nearly 20% of pregnant women who had previously given birth.

Nearly half (48%) of pregnant women who had not previously given birth said they were undecided about childhood vaccination.

One-third (33%) of parents of young children said they intended to refuse some or all vaccines on the childhood immunization schedule for their child.

A total of 174 pregnant women and 1,765 parents of young children participated in the two surveys, administered concurrently in April 2024.

The study was conducted by five researchers from Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some experts suggested the survey's results indicate a growing number of new and expectant mothers are questioning the safety, efficacy and necessity of vaccines for their kids.

"Prior to the COVID era, only a small fraction of parents were questioning the CDC's vaccination schedule — less than one in four," said Brian Hooker, Ph.D., chief scientific officer for Children's Health Defense (CHD). "I really believe that the message is getting out regarding the actual frequency of vaccine adverse events."

Hooker, who participated earlier this week in a Senate hearing on vaccine injuries, said he believes the increase in the number of parents questioning the childhood immunization schedule is "partially due to the obvious shortfalls and dangers of COVID-19 shots and also due to the efforts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and those working with him."

In February, Kennedy said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will investigate all possible causes of the chronic disease epidemic in children — including vaccines.

In April, Kennedy announced the launch of a "massive testing and research" effort to study the autism epidemic. Vaccinated children have a 170% higher chance of being diagnosed with autism compared to unvaccinated children, according to a peer-reviewed study published earlier this year.

Last month, the CDC's new vaccine advisory panel said it will study the cumulative effects of the 70-plus doses of 15 different vaccines the CDC recommends for children and teens ages 6 months to 18 years.

'They're going to judge for themselves what is best for their children'

Dr. Kimberly Biss, a Florida-based board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, said the survey's results reflect what she's observed at her practice.

"I can attest to the fact that the majority of my patients [of] reproductive age have not had any injections since 2021 and early 2022," Biss said.

Biologist Christina Parks, Ph.D., said the results mirror what she's "seen and heard from many mothers and families."

"As the study suggests, many mothers are still 'undecided' during pregnancy — not because they are opposed to vaccines, but because they simply haven't yet had the opportunity or motivation to fully engage with the subject," Parks said.

Parks said that while many new mothers were originally not opposed to vaccinating their children, "they were completely caught off-guard by the number and timing of vaccines their infant receives in such a short span." She said:

"They've told me the sinking feeling they had in the doctor's office was the catalyst for deep research — especially if they observed something concerning in their child afterward.

"Thus, the active engagement of parents in understanding vaccination is likely the factor driving vaccine hesitancy and/or selective refusal."

Internal medicine doctor Clayton J. Baker Jr. said that even though public health agencies' review of the childhood vaccination schedule is ongoing, a growing number of parents are thinking critically about their kids' vaccinations.

"What stands out most to me is that only a minority of the parents in any of the subgroups are blindly accepting all vaccines. That says one very simple thing to me: people are using their heads. They're going to judge for themselves what is best for their children. This is an encouraging sign," Baker said.

'Parents are waking up'

The researchers involved in the two surveys published in JAMA Network Open cited some recent studies indicating growing vaccine hesitancy among parents.

One study, published in the journal Vaccines in May 2024, showed that from November 2021 and July 2022, "the proportion of parents hesitant about pediatric COVID-19 vaccines increased by 15.8 percentage points" — from 24.8% to 40.6%.

According to the study, parents also became "increasingly worried about pediatric COVID-19 vaccine safety and overall importance."

A study published in Vaccines in March 2024 showed that adherence to the childhood vaccination schedule among children between the ages of 19 and 23 months decreased in 2021 compared to 2020.

An independent poll of registered voters conducted in June by Zogby Strategies and funded by CHD found that 60% of parents with young children are in favor of reviewing the CDC childhood immunization schedule.

Overall, 49% of respondents said they support reexamining the vaccine schedule, while 30% of voters said they were opposed.

According to the results of a Gallup survey published in August 2024, 69% of respondents said it is extremely or very important for parents to have their children vaccinated — down from 84% in 2019 and 94% in 2001.

Parks said these results are not surprising:

"I do think we're seeing a growing hesitancy, particularly among thoughtful, engaged parents who want to be proactive about their children's health. There's more access to information now than ever before, and parents are increasingly stepping into the role of researcher and advocate.

"When it comes to the most precious thing in their life, their children, parents want to understand their medical choices fully and partner with their health-care provider, instead of blindly following medical guidance."

Baker said what is often characterized as "vaccine hesitancy" is actually "critical thinking" on the part of parents.

"I believe parents are waking up and realizing that all medical interventions have risks, that a risk-benefit analysis is necessary for any treatment, and that this absolutely includes vaccines," Baker said.

'Trust isn't built by pressure'

According to the researchers who conducted the two surveys published in JAMA Network Open, more interventions by healthcare professionals may be needed during pregnancy "to proactively support parents with vaccination decisions before the birth of the child."

Baker said this statement stops short of mandating that parents vaccinate their kids. He said:

"The language in this article is more noncommittal about pushing vaccines than was typical a couple of years ago. The authors stop short of proclaiming they are 'combating vaccine hesitancy' and so on. Whether that is because vaccine researchers are realizing that patients have rights and that vaccines have risks, or whether they're just concealing their biases better, I don't know."

Parks said such interventions might lead new and expectant parents to conduct more research into childhood vaccination, potentially leading a growing number of parents to question vaccines rather than getting their children vaccinated with the full childhood immunization schedule. She said:

"It's important to remember that most mothers don't just accept information at face value. They often take what they've heard from health professionals and check it against what they hear from trusted friends, family members and other mothers.

"Ironically, introducing the topic early will likely actually prompt mothers to begin a deeper exploration into vaccination sooner than they might have otherwise."

By speaking with other parents, first-time and expectant mothers might become more likely to question childhood vaccines, said Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist for CHD.

"The survey shows there is wisdom to be gained from becoming a parent in our medical system," he said. "When those who are skeptical are the ones who have been through the process before, first-timers would be prudent to ask why."

Some experts suggest it is this willingness to ask questions, and a physician's openness to answering, that is most needed.

"Trust isn't built by pressure — it's built by partnership. And for many parents, especially during pregnancy and early childhood, that sense of partnership is what they're really looking for," Parks said.