The N.B. Department of Health is looking for women who were pregnant during the H1N1 vaccination program in the fall to come forward to participate in a study on their attitudes toward being immunized. (Ron Heflin/Associated Press)

New Brunswick's Department of Health is looking to study women who were pregnant during last fall's H1N1 vaccination regime to examine their attitudes surrounding whether they decided to get immunized.

Dr. Paul Van Buynder, the deputy chief medical officer of health, said the public health office was incredibly pleased with the response from pregnant women during the H1N1 vaccination campaign last fall.

Van Buynder said more than 80 per cent of pregnant women received their H1N1 vaccine, but the same group of women did not take the risks of seasonal flu as seriously.

Typically, less than 20 per cent of pregnant women get that vaccine.

"It is very low and we're very disappointed about it," Van Buynder said.

"We're trying to find out why pregnant women in huge numbers had the pandemic influenza vaccine but don't get the seasonal vaccine."

Many New Brunswick citizens lined up for hours in October and November to get their H1N1 shots. Pregnant women were among the priority groups for the vaccine during the early clinics.

The province's public health office handed out more than 500,000 H1N1 shots last fall.

It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of children and more than 90 per cent of First Nations people living on reserves received their shots.

Important information

Van Buynder said he hopes the information gathered in the survey will help his department do a better job of convincing pregnant women to get the seasonal flu vaccine.

"The attitudes of women who didn't receive the vaccine is also important to us. What prevented them from going and getting themselves protected? What were they worried about?" he said.

"Do we need to explain more about the safety of the vaccine? Do we need to reassure them about side effects? And so we want to hear from all pregnant women and we need to find out what information they require in order to make an informed decision."

Van Buynder said he hopes more women will come forward to participate in the survey.

He said he understands many women who were pregnant in the fall are home with newborns but he said the survey only takes about five minutes and researchers are ready to take their calls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Anyone who was pregnant this past fall is asked to call 1-800-560-1360.