The RSV vaccine now available for pregnant people

The RSV vaccine now available for pregnant people

30 Aug 2024

This is a brand new vaccine which helps to prevent respiratory syncytial virus.

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Whittington Health has a supply of the RSV vaccine, which is a brand new vaccine recommended for pregnant people.
  
If you are pregnant, and you receive your maternity care at Whittington Health, speak to your community midwife about making an appointment to get the RSV vaccine.
 
The vaccine can be given to you at 28 weeks (or within a few weeks of this).
 
Below you can find the answers to commonly asked questions about the RSV vaccine and more information can be found on the UK Health Security Agency website.
 
 

How serious is RSV?

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 feed. Around 20,000 infants are admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis each year in England.
 
Infants with severe bronchiolitis may need intensive care and the infection can be fatal. 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.
 
 

How is RSV spread?

RSV is highly infectious and spreads easily, particularly among children, through coughing and sneezing.
 
 

How effective is the RSV vaccine?

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. 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. Some babies may still get RSV despite their mothers having the vaccine. However, for most babies born to vaccinated mums, any RSV infection should be less severe.
 
 

When should I get vaccinated?

Having the vaccine in week 28 or within a few weeks of 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.
 
 

Can I get the vaccine later?

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.
 
 

How is it given and what are the side effects?

The vaccine is a single injection in your upper arm. Side effects are usually mild. These include:
  • headache
  • muscle ache
  • soreness, redness or swelling at the site of injection.

 

Is the vaccine safe?

The vaccine has been studied in clinical trials of almost 4,000 women and been given to 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 main clinical trials, in the month after vaccination, there were slightly more premature babies in the vaccine group (2.1%) than the group that didn’t have the vaccine (1.9%) but this difference is 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.
 
You can report suspected side effects on the yellow card website or by calling the free phone line 0800 731 6789 (Monday to Friday from 9.00am - 5.00pm) or by visiting their website.
 

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