Postpartum HPV Vaccination: Acceptance Belies Completion Rates

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake is suboptimal in the U.S.: About 30% of adolescents initiate the 3-dose series and 14% complete it. The postpartum period, with its relatively close patient–clinician interactions, represents an ideal time for HPV vaccination. To evaluate the acceptance of HPV vaccines initiated shortly after delivery, investigators conducted an industry-sponsored study in which the first dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine was offered during the postpartum hospital stay, the second dose at the postpartum visit, and the third dose at a separately scheduled appointment 4 months later.

Most of the 150 participants (mean age, 23) were Latina, unmarried, and receiving Medicaid. Of 150 women, 62 (41%) received 1 dose of vacc…