Vaccine Confidence Training and Tool Kit

Course Objectives

This training course is intended to teach obstetricians, gynecologists, and obstetric care clinicians about the importance of increasing your patients' vaccine confidence and demand—and techniques to apply in your practice. The decision to get vaccinated will greatly reduce your patients' chances of severe COVID-19 illness or death and having pregnancy complications from the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Access the Course

The learning objectives are to:

Describe the COVID-19 landscape, including specific impacts on ob-gyn patients
Illustrate the urgency of COVID-19 vaccine uptake across pregnant and non-pregnant populations.
Explain the available safety and efficacy data regarding COVID-19 vaccination for ob-gyn patients
Apply techniques for having effective vaccine conversations with patients.
Elicit patient comfort and dialogue around COVID-19 vaccination questions and concerns

This training will take roughly 90 minutes and is broken out into six different modules.

Course Credit Information

Upon completion of this training, participants will receive 1.5 CME credits.

ACCME Accreditation

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

College Cognate Credit(s)

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 Category 1 College Cognate Credit. The College has a reciprocity agreement with the AMA that allows AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ to be equivalent to College Cognate Credits.

Training Tool Kit

Access the below tools and resources to supplement your learning in each module.

Module 1: Introduction to ACOG’s COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Training

Go to Module 1 Learn About Module Resources

- Vaccine Counseling Billing (one-pager) provides guidance and HCPCS codes that clinicians can use to bill for stand-alone vaccine counseling
- COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric-Gynecologic Care is an ACOG Practice Advisory developed by the ACOG Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group
- COVID-19 FAQs for Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Obstetrics is a list of FAQs developed by several ACOG Task Forces made up of experts in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, gynecology, gynecologic subspecialties, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, infectious disease, hospital systems, telehealth, and ethics
- ACOG President J. Martin Tucker: Pregnancy and the COVID-19 Vaccines (video) shares current COVID-19 health risks for pregnant and nonpregnant women, and urges ACOG leaders to join ACOG’s COVID-19 Vaccine Champion Network
- COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding (CDC) details important information on COVID-19 vaccine safety, effectiveness, and recommendations for pregnant people
- Vaccines and Pregnancy: 8 Things You Need to Know (CDC) outlines all the vaccines pregnant women should have, including timing and safety information for each
- CDC COVID Data Tracker lists the number of reported cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from the COVID-19 virus daily
- COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy webinar presents the critical role Ob-gyns and clinicians play in the COVID-19 pandemic response, including the efforts to increase vaccination rates among pregnant individuals
- COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide offers key recommendations and messaging for clinicians
- Social media posts to share with your peers to help increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines
- Top Ten Tips for a Media Interview (infographic) provides tips on how to conduct a media interview. Download infographic in color or black-and-white versions
- Email template you can customize and share with your patients to encourage them to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and reasoning behind that guidance
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy
- Safety and Fertility Facts (infographic) provides details about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, how antibodies from breastmilk may pass through the breastmilk and provide protection to babies, and no effects on fertility from COVID-19 vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (infographic) provides details regarding why it is important for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, including information on the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- COVID-19, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Breastfeeding: Answers From Ob-Gyns details key points about risk, safety, and effectiveness for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals

Module 2: COVID-19 Landscape

Go to Module 2 Learn About Module Resources

- COVID-19 Vaccines in Pregnancy: Safe, Proven, Effective (video) 30-second public service announcement strongly recommending vaccination before, during, and after pregnancy to encourage your patients to have a healthy pregnancy
- COVID-19 FAQs for Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Obstetrics, lists frequently asked questions (FAQs) developed by several ACOG Task Forces made up of experts in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, gynecology, gynecologic subspecialties, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, infectious disease, hospital systems, telehealth, and ethics
- COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric–Gynecologic Care is an ACOG Practice Advisory and was developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' ACOG Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group
- COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding (CDC) includes key points about risk, safety, and effectiveness for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals
- Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups (CDC): The COVID-19 pandemic has unequally affected many racial and ethnic minority groups, putting them more at risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19
- Association of Gestational Age at COVID-19 Vaccination, History of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (National Library of Medicine) this study found that a complete vaccination course, prior history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a third-trimester booster dose were associated with the highest maternal and umbilical cord antibody levels
- Outcomes Following In Vitro Fertilization via Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Among Patients With and Without COVID-19 Vaccination (JAMA Network Open) evaluates the association of COVID-19 vaccination status with in vitro fertilization (IVF)-fresh embryo transfer cycles (including a high proportion of standard insemination cycles)
- Addressing Health Equity During the COVID-19 Pandemic (ACOG) provides tips on how to address health disparities to improve patient health and wellbeing
- Antibody response in pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant women (AJOG). This study found that receiving a booster dose during pregnancy induces a robust spike-specific humoral immune response, including against Omicron
- Analysis of Vaccine Reactions After COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Among Pregnant and Lactating Individuals (JAMA Network Open). This study found that COVID-19 vaccine boosters or third doses were well tolerated among pregnant and lactating individuals
- COVID-19 State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Reports (CDC) show the status of COVID-19 vaccine confidence in the United States, emphasizing major themes that influence vaccine confidence and uptake
- Journey of a Vaccine (infographic) that shows how new vaccines are developed, approved, and manufactured.
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy.
- Safety and Fertility Facts (infographic) provides details about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, how antibodies from breastmilk may pass through the breastmilk and provide protection to babies, and no effects on fertility from COVID-19 vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (infographic) provides details regarding why it is important for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, including information on the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters (CDC) includes CDC recommendations on COVID-19 boosters, who should get them, and when to get them.
- COVID-19 and Flu (one-pager) provides answers to commonly asked questions about safety, benefits, side effects, and vaccine interference related co-administration of COVID-19 and Flu vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- COVID-19 Booster Recommended During Pregnancy (infographic) provides details on the benefits of COVID-19 bivalent boosters during pregnancy and ACOG’s booster recommendation. Download infographic in color or black-and-white versions.
- Maternal and Fetus protection (one-pager) provides key points on how COVID-19 vaccines protect pregnant persons and their newborn baby. Download flyer in color or black-and-white versions.

Module 3: Exploring Evidence-Based Strategies

Go to Module 3 Learn About Module Resources

- COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide provides key recommendations and messaging for clinicians
- How to Tailor COVID-19 Vaccine Information to Your Specific Audience (CDC) shares steps for tailoring COVID-19 vaccine messaging and materials to your specific audience
- Factors that influence vaccination decision-making among pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis (PLOS) examines the strength of the relationships between healthcare professional recommendation and maternal vaccination uptake
- A multi-component, community-based strategy to facilitate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Latinx populations: From theory to practice (PLOS). This study originates from a community-academic-public health partnership, "Unidos en Salud," and examines how a culturally tailored and community-based COVID-19 vaccination program increased vaccine uptake among the Latinx community
- Data for Action: Achieving High Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines is a WHO guidebook that describes the Behavioral and Social Drivers of COVID-19 vaccines uptake
- Talking with Patients about COVID-19 Vaccination (CDC) presents motivational interviewing techniques such as empathy and collaboration to converse with patients and motivate them to make informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccines
- The Ad Council's Hispanic Faith Communities (tool kit) includes messaging strategies and resources for Hispanic faith communities, including social and email graphics, sermons, guides, banners, and videos
- Let's talk about COVID-19 vaccines (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines using commonly asked questions as examples. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians' offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
- 12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community (CDC) outlines selected strategies drawn from historical (non-COVID-19) vaccination efforts to help increase vaccine confidence and uptake
- “I Am a Vaccine Champion” (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians’ offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy

Module 4: Leading Effective Vaccine Conversations

Go to Module 4 Learn About Module Resources

- Vaccine Counseling Billing (one-pager) provides guidance and HCPCS codes that clinicians can use to bill for stand-alone vaccine counseling
- Talking with Patients about COVID-19 Vaccination (CDC) provides an introduction to motivational interviewing for healthcare professionals.
- Health Equity in Action (CDC) highlights CDC COVID-19 projects specifically aimed at addressing barriers to health care and health information among refugees, people with disabilities, tribal populations, migrant workers, and many other groups.
- How Health Care Providers Should Address Vaccine Hesitancy in the Clinical Setting: Evidence for Presumptive Language in Making a Strong Recommendation (nih.gov): Conversations with patients using presumptive language have been found to be more effective when making strong recommendations compared to participatory language.
- Interactive COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations Module for Healthcare Professionals (CDC, tool) developed by the CDC and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help build confidence in COVID-19 vaccination among your patients in any setting.
- How to Tailor COVID-19 Vaccine Information to Your Specific Audience (CDC) provides methods to tailor vaccine messaging for specific patient populations, including Black and Hispanic populations.
- COVID-19 and Health Equity (video) ACOG President, Dr. J. Martin Tucker, COVID-19 and health equity video statement.
- How to talk to your patients about COVID-19 vaccines (infographic) presents the motivational interviewing technique using the OARS acronym to communicate COVID-19 vaccine information with patients. Download flyer in color or black-and-white versions.
- Let's talk about COVID-19 vaccines (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines using commonly asked questions as examples. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians' offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
- “I Am a Vaccine Champion” (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians’ offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
Handouts
- Pregnant? Top 3 Reasons Why You Need the COVID-19 Vaccine (infographic).
- Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (infographic) provides details regarding why it is important for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, including information on the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated.
  - Download flyer in color or black-and-white versions
  - Available in Spanish
- Protect yourself and your baby from COVID-19 (CDC, flyer) provides information on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for patients who are pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, and may be pregnant in the future.
  - Available in Spanish
- COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy: Key Messages (CDC, infographic) provides information on COVID-19 risks during pregnancy, COVID-19 vaccines safety and efficacy, and fertility.
  - Available in Spanish
- Safety and Fertility Facts (infographic) provides details about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, how antibodies from breastmilk may pass through the breastmilk and provide protection to babies, and no effects on fertility from COVID-19 vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (infographic) provides details regarding why it is important for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, including information on the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- COVID-19 and Flu (one-pager) provides answers to commonly asked questions about safety, benefits, side effects, and vaccine interference related co-administration of COVID-19 and Flu vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- COVID-19 Booster Recommended During Pregnancy (infographic) provides details on the benefits of COVID-19 bivalent boosters during pregnancy and ACOG’s booster recommendation. Download infographic in color or black-and-white versions.
- Maternal and Fetus protection (one-pager) provides key points on how COVID-19 vaccines protect pregnant persons and their newborn baby. Download flyer in color or black-and-white versions.
Resources
- Easy-to Read COVID-19 Materials (CDC) for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others who read or listen with understanding below a third-grade level
- Get Your Recommended COVID-19 Vaccine During Pregnancy (video) describes the relationship between COVID-19, pregnancy, and vaccines
- COVID-19, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Breastfeeding: Answers From Ob-Gyns includes frequently asked questions on COVID-19 and pregnancy, COVID-19 vaccines, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding and newborn care
- Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines to share with patients to provide facts about common COVID-19 vaccine myths
- The Conversation (English) Latinx doctors, nurses, and community health workers provide accessible facts and dispel misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines
  - View La Conversación in Spanish (video)
- Get the Facts Campaign (infographic and public service announcement) provides visually engaging facts about COVID-19 variants and COVID-19 vaccines in over 30 languages
- Translated COVID-19 Materials Library (infographic, video, audio) offers free COVID-19 related graphics, videos, and recordings in over 40 languages
- COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters (CDC) includes CDC recommendations on COVID-19 boosters, who should get them, and when to get them
Community Tool Kits
- Black Community Education Tool Kit provides messaging strategies and resources for Black communities, including social and email graphics, banners, and videos
- Black Faith Community Education Tool Kit provides messaging strategies and resources for Black faith communities, including social and email graphics, sermons, guides, banners, and videos
- Hispanic Community Education Tool Kit provides messaging strategies and resources for Hispanic communities, including social and email graphics, banners, and videos
- Hispanic Faith Community Tool Kit provides messaging strategies and resources for Hispanic faith communities, including social and email graphics, sermons, guides, banners, and videos
Social Media Sample Posts
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy

Module 5: Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation

Go to Module 5 Learn About Module Resources

- A prospective cohort study of COVID-19 vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fertility (National Library of Medicine) examined the associations of COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection with fertility among couples trying to conceive spontaneously, using data from an internet-based preconception cohort study
- COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and narratives surrounding Black communities (First Draft) on social media details how widespread mistrust and lack of access to reliable COVID-19 vaccine information on social media have created an environment under which misinformation thrives
- ACOG Statement on Medical Misinformation from ACOG President, Dr. J. Martin Tucker, shares the dangers of health misinformation and the impact it has on patients' health by discouraging many of them from receiving life-saving vaccines
- How to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation (CDC) shares strategies for communicating accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines, responding to gaps in information, and confronting misinformation with evidence-based messaging from credible sources
- Let's talk about COVID-19 vaccines (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines using commonly asked questions as examples. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians' offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
- “I Am a Vaccine Champion” (flyer) prompts patients to talk to clinicians about COVID-19 vaccines. The conversation prompt can be printed and posted in clinicians’ offices. Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
- Learn how to spot misinformation (Stronger), disinformation, and conspiracy theories about vaccines with this quick guide
- Pregnancy/Fertility & COVID-19 Vaccine (Connecticut Department of Public Health, flyer) dispels the myth regarding COVID-19 vaccines effect on fertility
- Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC) to share with patients to provide facts about common COVID-19 vaccine myths
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy
- Fact Check Explorer (Google) is an online tool you can use to fact check suspicious information about a person or a topic
- Maternal and Fetus protection (one-pager) provides key points on how COVID-19 vaccines protect pregnant persons and their newborn baby. Download flyer in color or black-and-white versions.

Module 6: Leading by Example

Go to Module 6 Learn About Module Resources

- Vaccine Counseling Billing (one-pager) provides guidance and HCPCS codes that clinicians can use to bill for stand-alone vaccine counseling
- Strategies for Effectively Integrating Immunizations Into Routine Obstetric–Gynecologic Care details four overarching strategies that have been shown to improve immunization processes and ultimately increase immunization rates
- COVID-19 Vaccination Provider Requirements and Support (CDC) provides information on CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccine provider agreement, data and reporting requirements, and additional resources for vaccination providers participating in the program
- How to Become a COVID-19 Vaccinator covers topics on preparing to enroll as a COVID-19 vaccinator, obtaining vaccine doses, storing and handling vaccines, reporting vaccines, and billing for the vaccination administration
- New COVID-19 Vaccination Provider Trainings (CDC) provides next steps and tools to enhance your role after becoming a COVID-19 vaccine provider
- Foster Support for Vaccination in Your Practice (CDC) includes information to increase support for vaccination among patients
- Vaccinate with Confidence COVID-19 Vaccines Strategy for Adults (CDC) explores ways you can build trust and create a positive vaccine culture in your community to build vaccine confidence
- Operation Expanded Testing (CDC) is a CDC program to expand COVID-19 testing nationwide at no extra cost to communities that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Top Ten Tips for a Media Interview (CDC) provides tips on how to conduct a media interview. Download infographic in color or black-and-white versions
- Get Your Recommended Vaccines During Pregnancy (video) that explains the importance of getting recommended vaccines during pregnancy
- Tool kit for Pregnant People and New Parents (CDC) provides resources on COVID-19 vaccines, guidance, and answers to frequently asked questions for patients who are pregnant, recently pregnant, and breastfeeding
- COVID-19, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Breastfeeding: Answers From Ob-Gyns includes frequently asked questions on COVID-19 and pregnancy, COVID-19 vaccines, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding and newborn care
- Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and V-safe Pregnancy Registry to encourage your patients to register after choosing COVID-19 vaccination
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Social Media Tool Kit to share the facts about COVID-19 and pregnancy
- Safety and Fertility Facts (infographic) provides details about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, how antibodies from breastmilk may pass through the breastmilk and provide protection to babies, and no effects on fertility from COVID-19 vaccines. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.
- Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy (infographic) provides details regarding why it is important for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccines, including information on the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of getting vaccinated. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic.

This Resource was supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a part of a financial assistance award totaling $3,000,000 with 100 percent funded by ACOG and CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.