Majority of Pregnant Patients Accepted RSV Protection in Vaccine's First Season

In the first US season (2023) that the prenatal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine became available, 68.5% of pregnant women at a tertiary referral center opted for either maternal vaccination or neonatal monoclonal antibody therapy, according to a retrospective cohort study presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, May 16-18, 2025, in Minneapolis, MN.¹

Marie J Boller, MD

Courtesy of ACOG

The researchers, from Oregon Health & Science University, took advantage of a targeted patient education campaign at the center following the 2023 approval of the RSV vaccine to evaluate the impact on uptake of RSV protection and to investigate associations with demographics and receipt of other vaccinations in pregnancy.¹

The findings were encouraging, presenting author Marie J Boller, MD, said during an ePoster session on Friday, May 16. Receipt of RSV protection was significantly associated with receipt of other prenatal vaccines, Boller noted. Among those who received RSV protection, 73.9% also received a Tdap shot, compared to only 26.1% among those who did not (P <.001). Similarly, 85.0% of RSV-protected participants had received a COVID-19 vaccine, versus 15.4% who declined RSV protection (P <.001).¹ Influenza vaccination rates were also higher in the group that chose RSV protection (78.5% vs 21.5%, P <.001). Boller et al also found a significantly lower rate of preterm birth among those who received RSV vaccination (9.9%) compared with those who did not (17.8%; P <.001).¹

Electing to receive RSV protection was also significantly associated with insurance status, according to Boller. Study participants with low uptake of RSV protection were more likely to have government-issued than private insurance. Participants with commercial insurance had higher protection rates (71.3%) compared to those with Medicaid (63.6%; P =.037).¹

For the study, Boller and colleagues retrospectively reviewed records for 1,059 pregnant women who delivered between October 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024 at the referral center.¹

Vaccination against RSV is recommended for women between 32 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation. Neonatal antibody therapy should be administered to infants younger than age 8 months before the RSV season begins, and ideally during the first week of life if born during the season.²

“In the inaugural season of prenatal RSV vaccination, receipt of other routine prenatal vaccinations and commercial insurance support were associated with receipt of RSV protection,” Boller et al wrote in the study abstract. “These data will inform ongoing system-wide quality improvement initiatives.”¹

References
1. Boller MJ, Ward LR, Gibbins KJ, Valent AM, Bayer LL. Uptake of respiratory syncytial virus protection in the inaugural prenatal vaccination season: a tertiary referral center experience. Abstract presented at: 2025 Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. May 16-18, 2025. Minneapolis, MN.
2. RSV immunization guidance for infants and young children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated August 20, 2024. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/hcp/vaccine-clinical-guidance/infants-young-children.html