Brazil Ministry of Health data show low vaccine rates for pregnant women

Low vaccination rates among pregnant women in Brazil have left many vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome from influenza and COVID-19, with official Ministry of Health data showing coverage lagging far behind the 90 percent target, as Agência Brasil reported.

Nataly Saldanha, 39 weeks pregnant in Rio de Janeiro, represents the protected minority who have maintained up-to-date immunization schedules throughout prenatal care. Official figures from Brazil’s Ministry of Health reveal stark disparities in vaccine uptake across the Southeast, South, Northeast, and Midwest regions. In 2025, coverage among pregnant women reached only 55 percent for COVID-19 and 63 percent for influenza. Preliminary data for the current year show slight improvement for the flu vaccine at 76 percent, while COVID-19 immunization remains stagnant at 55 percent.

The consequences of these protection gaps manifest in severe clinical outcomes. Ministry of Health records compiled for Agência Brasil indicate that between 2023 and early August 2026, at least 286 pregnant or postpartum women developed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to influenza virus subtypes, resulting in 25 deaths, including seven this year. Over the same timeframe, COVID-19 triggered at least 205 severe cases and 21 deaths. During the acute pandemic years of 2020, 2021, and 2022, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) struck 3,547 pregnant or postpartum individuals, causing 811 deaths—a case-fatality rate approaching 23 percent.

Vaccines Are Safe at Any Gestational Age

• Universal Administration: Both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines can be safely inoculated at any gestational age.

Immunization Disparities and Public Health Barriers

Flávia Bravo, director of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm), attributes the persistent shortfall to two distinct psychological and informational barriers. For influenza, public complacency creates a false sense of security where patients underestimate viral pathogenicity. For COVID-19, persistent falsehoods regarding the development timeline deter hesitant patients.

“When it comes to the flu, people still wonder, ‘Is this vaccine really that important?’ There’s a tendency to downplay the disease. As for COVID-19, the myth has prevailed that it is an experimental vaccine, rushed into production—which is a lie. It’s an established technology, and we were able to adapt it more quickly for COVID-19 because of global collaboration and significant investment,” Bravo noted.

Empirical evidence shows these biological interventions are protective. Brazilian researchers analyzing historical cohorts found that introducing maternal immunization reduced monthly SARS case rates among pregnant and postpartum populations to one-third of baseline levels. Maternal mortality associated with these respiratory pathogens dropped to nearly one-fifth of pre-vaccination rates.

Pathogen / Period	Vaccine Coverage Target	Actual Coverage (2025–2026)	Severe Cases & Fatalities
Influenza (Flu)	90%	63% (2025) / 76% (2026)	286 severe cases, 25 deaths (2023–2026)
COVID-19	90%	55% (2025) / 55% (2026)	205 severe cases, 21 deaths (2023–2026)
COVID-19 Pandemic Peak	N/A	Pre-vaccine rollout	3,547 ARDS cases, 811 deaths (2020–2022)

Respiratory Viruses Drive High Morbidity and Mortality

Respiratory viruses drive nearly 30 percent of all severe acute respiratory syndrome cases recorded among pregnant and postpartum women in Brazil this year. When evaluating mortality figures alone, influenza and COVID-19 account for more than 50 percent of fatal respiratory outcomes in this demographic. Because viral identification is not always achieved in every clinical presentation, epidemiologists note that the true proportion of virus-driven morbidity is likely higher.

“Pregnant women are among the groups at highest risk for these two diseases, so much so that these two vaccines can be administered at any stage of pregnancy,” Bravo emphasized.

The Brazilian public health system, Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), integrates influenza and COVID-19 immunizations alongside four additional prenatal vaccines: hepatitis B, dT, dTpa, and VSR.

References

• Agência Brasil.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or prenatal care regimen.