Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
PrintQuick read
All pregnant women in the UK are advised to have a vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from 28 weeks of pregnancy. This helps to protect the baby from RSV bronchiolitis (a chest infection that can be serious).
What is it?
The RSV vaccine protects against serious chest infections caused by RSV.
The RSV vaccine recommended for pregnant women in the UK is called Abrysvo®.
Benefits
What are the benefits of having the RSV vaccination during pregnancy?
In babies and young children, catching RSV can cause a chest infection called bronchiolitis. This makes it difficult for small babies to breathe and feed. Some babies need to be admitted to hospital, and, in rare cases, bronchiolitis can be fatal.
When you are vaccinated against RSV, your immunity passes to your unborn baby. This means that after your baby is born, they have a lower chance of catching RSV and could therefore avoid bronchiolitis and its serious complications.
It is currently recommended that all pregnant women in the UK are vaccinated with Abrysvo® from 28 weeks of pregnancy. Getting vaccinated as soon as possible from 28 weeks will give the best protection to your baby. The vaccine can be given right up until you go into labour but when given near the end of pregnancy, may not work quite as well to protect your baby.
Risks
Are there any risks of having the RSV vaccination in pregnancy?
No. Information from over 100,000 pregnant women who received an RSV vaccine raises no concerns that vaccination harms the baby. Your baby is fully developed by the time the vaccine is given at 28 weeks, so RSV vaccination cannot cause a birth defect. While one study found that preterm birth is slightly more common following RSV vaccination, this was not thought to be directly caused by the vaccine. As a precaution, having your RSV vaccination from 28 weeks of pregnancy means that the vaccine cannot increase the chance of early preterm birth.
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to having the RSV vaccination in pregnancy?
No. The best way to protect your baby against RSV in the first six months of their life is to be vaccinated during pregnancy, even if you have had the vaccine in a previous pregnancy. This is to ensure that high levels of immunity can pass to your baby.
While babies at high risk of RSV complications can be given an injection of RSV antibodies after birth, this works better to protect them if they have also been exposed to RSV antibodies in the womb through their mother being vaccinated.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to be vaccinated against RSV in pregnancy?
You can decline the vaccination. However, protection against RSV is very important for your baby as RSV can cause serious breathing problems that require hospital treatment and, in rare cases, can lead to death.
Will my baby need extra monitoring?
No. The RSV vaccine is routinely given in pregnancy and does not mean that any extra monitoring is required.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions about the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.