ACOG 2026: Maria Marcos, MD, on Pneumococcal Vaccination in Pregnancy

Pneumococcal vaccination is well established in guidelines for adults at increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, yet its role during pregnancy remains underrecognized in routine obstetric care. While obstetricians are accustomed to counseling about influenza, COVID-19, and Tdap immunizations, pneumococcal vaccination often falls off the radar—even for pregnant patients with chronic pulmonary or metabolic comorbidities who meet eligibility criteria. Emerging data suggest that this gap may represent a missed opportunity to reduce preventable morbidity in a population already navigating complex medical needs.

At the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 2026 Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, held May 1-3, 2026, in Washington, DC, Maria Marocs, MD, a third-year resident physician at Thomas Jefferson University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, presented research on pneumococcal vaccination series among pregnant individuals. In the video above, Marocs outlines the strikingly low pneumococcal vaccination rates observed in this high-risk population, explores key drivers such as limited provider awareness and inconsistent vaccine availability in OBGYN clinics, and considers how targeted system-level interventions—such as carefully designed EHR prompts and streamlined clinic workflows—could improve series completion. Marcos also offers practical, patient-centered strategies clinicians can implement immediately to incorporate pneumococcal vaccination into routine prenatal counseling, particularly for patients with conditions such as asthma and type 2 diabetes.