Pregnancy Vaccine Slashes Baby Hospital Admissions for RSV by 80%
A vaccine administered during pregnancy to protect newborns against severe chest infections is demonstrably cutting hospital admissions for babies by more than 80%, according to UK health officials.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) affects a substantial number of babies in their initial months, often leading to severe respiratory distress and feeding difficulties. Annually, over 20,000 infants in the UK require hospitalisation due to the virus.
Since 2024, pregnant women from 28 weeks' gestation have been offered this vaccine. A recent analysis examining its impact reveals it provides 'excellent protection' to infants during their most susceptible period to RSV, as stated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
RSV remains a primary cause of hospital admissions for babies under one year old. Half of all newborns contract the virus, which can manifest from a mild cold to a life-threatening chest infection due to pulmonary inflammation. A small number of fatalities are recorded each year.
Dr Conall Watson, national programme lead for RSV at the UKHSA, underscored the severity of severe infections: “This is very, very frightening as a parent, frightening with good reason.”
The vaccine, introduced in the UK in 2024, followed clinical trials that established its capacity to enhance a pregnant woman's immune system sufficiently to transfer protective antibodies to the foetus via the placenta. This mechanism ensures newborns are protected from birth.
The new study indicates that protection reaches nearly 85% when the vaccine is administered at least four weeks before birth, though some degree of protection is still observed with later vaccination. Even a two-week interval between vaccination and birth can offer adequate protection for premature infants.
Latest figures show that approximately 64% of pregnant women in England are receiving the RSV vaccine, although this figure drops to 53% in London. Alongside the RSV jab, the flu and whooping cough vaccines are also recommended during pregnancy. Furthermore, the RSV vaccine is offered to adults aged 75 and over, or those residing in older adult care homes across the UK.