Add-on session (Gates Foundation): Data – a gamechanger for maternal immunization uptake and coverage

November 5, 2021 from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Speaker: Intro: Dr. Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen, S1: Professor Flor Munoz-Rivas, S2: Professor Marian Knight, S3: Professor Lee Fairlie, S4: Professor Alisa Kachikis, S6: Professor Asma Khalil
Session Introduction (5 min): What COVID-19 has taught us about the need to invest in data on vaccines for pregnant women
Dr. Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen
Global Head, Maternal Immunization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Presentations (10 min each, 40 min total)
Presentation 1: New data on post-approval safety and effectiveness studies of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women
Professor Flor Munoz-Rivas
Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Presentation 2: The power of obstetric surveillance systems – the UK’s experience tracking COVID-19 during pregnancy and the impacts of variants and vaccination
Professor Marian Knight
Professor of Maternal and Child Population Health, University of Oxford, UK
Presentation 3: Data systems in LMICs – learning from South Africa’s pregnancy registry
Professor Lee Fairlie
Director of Maternal and Child Health at Wits RHI, South Africa
Presentation 4: Using data to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase coverage – the role of the ob/gyn to support maternal immunization
Professor Alisa Kachikis
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, USA
Discussion/Respond to any audience questions (14 min)
Professor Asma Khalil
Professor of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, St George’s University Hospital University of London, UK
Dr. Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen
Global Head, Maternal Immunization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA

Reaction to key themes from presentations and perspective of maternity care providers in developing new data systems for maternal immunization. Potential questions for discussion include:
· How can better data help support the development and uptake of new maternal immunizations?
· How can providers use data on vaccine safety to engage patients who are vaccine-hesitant?
· How can we encourage more countries to invest in surveillance and develop stronger data systems?
· How can the COVID-19 vaccine development experience help pave the way for a GBS vaccine for pregnant women?
Closing remarks and thank you (1 minute)
Dr. Ajoke Sobanjo-ter Meulen
Global Head, Maternal Immunization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA