Maternal RSV vaccine cuts baby hospitalisations by 80%
A vaccine offered during pregnancy provides strong protection against RSV, helping keep newborn babies out of hospital in their most vulnerable first months
A major UK study has found that a vaccine given during pregnancy can cut the risk of babies being hospitalised with RSV by more than 80 per cent, offering strong protection in the first months of life when infants are most vulnerable.
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Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that typically mimics the common cold, but can cause life-threatening chest infections for babies, especially those born prematurely or with a weak immune system.
RSV leads to over 20,000 babies being hospitalised with severe illness in the UK annually.
However, a new study has shown that the vaccination programme is “highly protective for newborn infants”, according to Matt Wilson, epidemiologist and lead author of the study.
The vaccine, offered since 2024, provides the best protection when given from 28 weeks of pregnancy, with babies born at least four weeks after vaccination shown to have nearly 85 per cent protection.
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Vaccination later in pregnancy still provides some protection, with vaccination as close as 10 to 13 days before birth reducing hospital admissions by 50 per cent, compared with those whose mothers were unvaccinated.
However, the study reinforced the importance of vaccinating as early as possible within the recommended window. Consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, Dr Conall Watson, stressed that the longer interval between vaccination and birth, the better the protection.
Dr Watson stressed: "Get it on time. But if you can't, do get vaccinated all the way through the third trimester."
The study, which was 40 times bigger than the clinical trial, followed 300,000 babies born between September 2024 and March 2025, representing around 90 per cent of all births in England during this period.
It was presented earlier today at ESCMID Global 2026, the annual conference of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Munich.
The virus is one of the most common reasons for young infants to be admitted to hospital, and globally is second only to malaria as a cause of death in infants between 1 and 12 months old.
It can range from a mild cold to severe lung infections such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
The virus causes over 100,000 deaths annually in children under 5 worldwide.
The vaccine works by boosting the mother’s immune system to produce protective antibodies against RSV. The antibodies are passed to the baby through the placenta, giving newborns protection from the day they’re born.
Infants born to unvaccinated mothers face a significantly higher risk of severe RSV and account for the vast majority of RSV-related hospitalisations.
Of the 4,594 babies hospitalised with RSV, nearly 9 in 10 were born to unvaccinated mothers, despite making up just over half of the group studied.
The latest figures show around 64 per cent of pregnant women in England are getting the RSV vaccine. However, this figure drops to 53 per cent in London.
Health Minister Karin Smith said: “Getting the RSV vaccine while pregnant is the most effective way to protect your newborn from getting seriously ill with RSV in their first few months of life”.