Any illness that develops in infancy can be scary, especially a virus that’s related to breathing like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The good news? There’s an RSV vaccine you can take when you’re pregnant that will not only protect you but also your baby once she’s born.[1]
The vaccine, known as Abrysvo and recommended for pregnant women by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG),[2] is given late in pregnancy to help prevent lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by RSV in babies from birth to 6 months.
The vaccine’s thumbs-up for pregnant women as of August 2023 has been very welcome, notes Oluwatosin Goje, M.D., an OB/GYN and infectious diseases specialist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
“RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization — and the vaccine was found to prevent severe infection and hospitalization,” she says.
A common virus, RSV is passed around like a cold and is very contagious. Fortunately, most babies have mild symptoms for a week or two, like a fever and cough. But in little ones with a higher risk of severe RSV, like infants born prematurely or with a lung or heart ailment, the disease can lead to pneumonia or bronchitis.[3]
Luckily, getting the RSV vaccine during pregnancy can help keep your newborn safe once she arrives. Here’s what you need to know about this vaccine, including when during pregnancy to get it.
Abrysvo is a maternal RSV vaccine that’s approved for use in pregnant women in order to stave off serious future respiratory illness in babies. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, and this vaccine given during pregnancy can help protect babies when they’re most vulnerable. The vaccine is a single-dose shot given to moms-to-be who are between weeks 32 and 36 pregnant from September through January. Research has found the maternal RSV vaccine to be very safe and effective. In clinical trials, it reduced the risk that a newborn would develop severe lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV by nearly 82% within three months of birth. The maternal RSV vaccine is different from Beyfortus. The latter is not a vaccine, but it’s a shot that can help prevent RSV infection in infants under 8 months old, as well as some older infants who are at higher risk of developing severe RSV. Most babies will need protection from either the maternal RSV vaccine or the antibody treatment, but not both, the CDC says, though your pediatrician can guide you on what makes sense for your little one.
What is Abrysvo, the RSV vaccine for pregnant women?
Abrysvo is an RSV vaccine that’s approved for use in expectant women in order to stave off serious future respiratory illness in their infants. The vaccine is a single-dose shot given late in pregnancy to moms-to-be between week 32 and week 36 from September through January.[4]
“It’s efficacious, especially when it comes to severe lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV,” explains Dr. Goje. The vaccine reduced the risk of severe LRTD by nearly 82% percent within three months of birth during the clinical trials.
And Abrysvo already has a proven track record. The CDC approved the shot for adults 60 years and older in May 2023. (Those in that category should also speak with their doctors about getting it.)
Should you get the RSV vaccine during pregnancy?
Yes, if you’ll be between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy from September through January. An RSV vaccine that’s given before birth to protect your newborn is a game changer. While the majority of RSV cases are mild, there are still a great number that are far more concerning — even life-threatening.
In fact, RSV is the most common cause of hospitalization in infants. It’s a main cause of severe bronchiolitis in kids under 1 year old, and 2 or 3 out of 100 babies under 6 months who catch RSV may need hospitalization to receive oxygen to help them breathe. Plus, there has been a big surge in RSV cases in recent years, so it’s extra important to take steps to protect your little one.
What’s the difference between the maternal RSV vaccine and the antibody treatment for babies?
There’s also an antibody treatment called Beyfortus (nirsevimab) that the CDC recommends for infants under 8 months old born during or at the start of their first RSV season, which runs from October to March. (Children between 8 and 19 months of age should also get a dose of this treatment if they’re at a higher risk of severe RSV.)
Beyfortus is not a vaccine, but it’s a shot that can help prevent RSV infection in infants. “Abrysvo is a traditional vaccine which induces an immune response in the mother, and the injection for babies is monoclonal antibodies,” explains Jennifer Wu, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with her own private practice, Women’s Health of Manhattan, in New York City, and a Member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
Most babies will need protection from either the maternal RSV vaccine or the antibody treatment, but not both, the CDC says. One exception, for example, is if you gave birth less than two weeks after getting the vaccine. Your pediatrician might also recommend your baby still be given nirsevimab if she’s at high risk of developing severe illness from RSV, as well as if you have an autoimmune disorder that limits the protective antibodies you could have passed to your baby before birth.
“This is another new tool we can use this fall and winter to help protect lives,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement after the vaccine was given the green light for pregnant women. “I encourage parents to talk to their doctors about how to protect their little ones against serious RSV illness, using either a vaccine given during pregnancy, or an RSV immunization given to your baby after birth.”
Is the RSV vaccine safe for me and my baby during pregnancy?
The short answer? Yes. Research has proven the RSV vaccine to be very safe for both mothers and their babies when given during pregnancy.
“No safety signals were detected in the mother and baby,” Dr. Goje says, meaning the clinical trials did not reveal any complications in either pregnant moms or their babies.
To test for safety and effectiveness, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies were performed with thousands of pregnant women — and the results were extremely positive.
In one group of 3,500 who received the vaccine, the drug lowered the risk of severe LRTD by about 82% within the first 90 days after birth. And in a subgroup of 1,500 pregnant women, the risk of severe illness was reduced even more effectively, by 91% in the first three months when compared to the placebo. By the six-month point, severe respiratory disease was down by about 77%.
In other words, not only is this vaccine safe for you and your developing little one, but it’s an extremely effective tool to reduce her chances of catching an infection that can be especially dangerous for young babies.
Who should get vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy?
The CDC and ACOG recommend the RSV vaccine for pregnant women who will be in their third trimester between September through January. At the pharmacist, the vaccine you should ask for is the maternal RSV vaccine (Pfizer’s Abrysvo).
You can get this vaccine at the same time as any other vaccines you might need during pregnancy, such as the flu shot, and you can also get it if you recently recovered from an RSV infection. However, if you received the RSV vaccine during a prior pregnancy, ACOG says you don’t need it again — but your little one should still get the antibody treatment nirsevimab once she’s born.
Are there any side effects related to the RSV vaccine for pregnant women?
A very low percentage of participants in the clinical trials experienced pre-eclampsia, a hypertensive disorder, as compared with the placebo (1.8 percent vs 1.4 percent), according to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Low birth weight, jaundice, and premature birth were also slightly more common in those who received Abrysvo, the agency said.
But for the most part, the commonly reported side effects were very mild. They included pain and rash at the injection site, headache and muscle pain, and nausea.
Thankfully, RSV usually results in mild illness in babies and children, but since it can also be much more serious, a preventative vaccine like this one is great news for parents and their babies. Ask your doctor about the new maternal RSV vaccine so you can find out whether you should receive it during your pregnancy.
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