Respiratory syncytial virus or RSV is a common virus which can cause a lung infection called bronchiolitis. In small babies this condition can make it hard to breathe and to feed. Most cases can be managed at home but around 20,000 infants with RSV bronchiolitis are admitted to hospital each winter in England. Some infants with bronchiolitis become extremely unwell and require admission to an intensive care unit to support their breathing. RSV is more likely to be serious in very young babies, those born prematurely, and those with conditions that affect their heart, breathing or immune system. RSV infections can occur all year round, but cases peak every winter.
The vaccine boosts your immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus. These antibodies then pass through the placenta to help protect your baby from the day they are born. RSV vaccination reduces the risk of severe bronchiolitis by 70% in the first 6 months of life. After this age your baby is at much lower risk of severe RSV.
You should be offered it around the time of your 28 week antenatal appointment. If you haven’t heard by this stage, contact your maternity service or GP practice to make an appointment. Having the vaccine in week 28 or within a few weeks after this will help you build a good level of antibodies to pass on to your baby before birth. This will give your baby the best protection, including if they are born early. You can still have the vaccine later in your pregnancy but it may be less effective. If it wasn’t possible to have your vaccine earlier, it can be given right up until you have the baby. If you have it very late in pregnancy, it may still protect you from infection and reduce the risk of you spreading infection to your newborn baby.
The vaccine is a single injection in your upper arm. Side effects are usually mild. These include:
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The vaccine has been studied in clinical trials of almost 4,000 women and been given to many thousands of women in national programmes. Monitoring in the USA, where it has been given to over 100,000 women, has shown a good safety profile. In the main clinical trial, in the month after vaccination, there were slightly more premature babies in the vaccine group (21 in 1000) than the group that didn’t have the vaccine (19 in 1000). This difference is most likely to be due to chance. The vaccine has been approved by medicines regulators in the UK, Europe and USA on the basis of protection, quality and safety.
The vaccine has been shown to reduce the chance of your baby suffering from severe RSV disease. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective and some babies may still get RSV infection despite their mothers having the vaccine. However, for most babies born to vaccinated mums, any RSV infection should be less severe.
Some babies at higher risk of RSV, such as those who are very premature, those with severe heart disease or those with weakened immunity may also be offered an antibody injection after they are born. This injection will provide additional protection on top of any antibodies they might get from their mother.
Yes, you should have it in every pregnancy to give your new baby the best protection.
It is important to have your vaccines at the right time in pregnancy:
When you are called for your RSV vaccine, if you have not yet had your whooping cough or flu vaccines, please highlight this to the vaccinating midwife who can discuss your options for vaccination. All three vaccines can be given right up until you deliver.
You can talk to your midwife or GP practice
