This study shows agreement between self-reported COVID-19 vaccination status and vaccination status recorded in medical records. That means relying on self-reported data is a viable method for research on issues such as vaccine uptake or effectiveness assessments. Using self-reported data also is a less resource-intensive and more efficient approach than using medical records.

The study compared data for pregnant individuals followed in a cohort during August 2020–October 2021. At the end of pregnancy, participants completed questionnaires about COVID-19 vaccine receipt during pregnancy. Research staff verified vaccination status using medical records. “There was high agreement between self-reported and medical record vaccination status, suggesting that self-report may be acceptable for ascertaining COVID-19 vaccination status during pregnancy,” the study said.

The study also noted: “The analysis was conducted among individuals willing to participate in the research during the early months of COVID-19 vaccine availability, when a primary series of vaccine was recommended.  Findings may not generalize to all pregnant individuals or to later pandemic phases when vaccine recall may be less reliable and verification more prone to missing information as booster doses are recommended.”