Maternal RSV Vaccination Significantly Reduces Infant Hospitalisation Risk

The largest real-world study conducted by ESCMID Global, presented on April 18, 2026, highlights that maternal vaccination against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can reduce infant hospitalisation risk by over 80% when administered at least two weeks before childbirth.

RSV is a prevalent virus causing severe respiratory illnesses such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants, leading to significant hospitalisations. Initiated on September 1, 2024, the UK introduced a maternal RSV vaccination program offering the Bivalent Prefusion F vaccine to pregnant women. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) assessed the program's impact by examining data on 289,399 infants born between September 2024 and March 2025.

The study revealed that infants of vaccinated mothers had notably fewer hospitalisations, with a vaccine effectiveness of 81.3%. For preterm infants, effectiveness reached 69.4% with a 14-day vaccine-to-birth interval. The findings underscore significant protection benefits, especially for vulnerable preterm infants.