Pregnancy can bring with it many questions and decisions to be made, especially for first-time parents-to-be. Should a woman really eat for two? Is a birth plan important? Are prenatal vitamins necessary? The list can go on and on.
As an OB-GYN, Clara Telford, M.D., FAACOG, has helped to guide many expectant moms through the maternity journey at Gynecological & Obstetrical Associates, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice in Dallas. In January 2024, however, the OB-GYN was preparing to become a mom and found herself needing to make some decisions of her own about her health and that of her baby.
“I was the patient instead of the obstetrician with the conception of my first child,” she says. “While I’m often in the position to counsel my women patients about matters regarding pregnancy, it was the first time I had to make important decisions for myself and my family.”
On Telford’s list of things to address was getting vaccinated for RSV.
What is RSV?
RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is a common virus transmitted through respiratory droplets. In healthy adults, it often leads to minor cold-like symptoms that resolve on their own. In young children, however, it can be much more dangerous.
RSV illness is the most common reason babies are hospitalized in the U.S., accounting for 75% of admissions to the hospital in children less than 6 months old. Many of these infants are healthy and without other known medical conditions. The good news is there’s a vaccine available that can begin protecting babies from RSV infection prior to birth.
About the RSV Vaccine for Pregnant Women
In 2023, the CDC approved vaccination against RSV to be given to pregnant women.
”When you receive the RSV vaccine, your body makes antibodies that can be passed to your baby through the placenta,” Telford says. “This gives your newborn immediate, temporary protection against severe RSV in their first months of life — when they are most vulnerable.”
In its first year, the RSV vaccine reduced hospitalization in infants less than 3 months by 68% and in infants less than 6 months by 57%. The vaccine is given as a single dose between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. It is recommended for all moms delivering from the month of September (1–2 months before the anticipated start of RSV season) through January (2–3 months before the anticipated end of the RSV season) when the frequency of the virus is at its highest. Vaccination during this timeframe provides protection for baby that lasts for their first RSV season.
Is the Vaccine Safe?
The RSV vaccine has been well-studied in pregnant women, ensuring its safety prior to approval by the FDA. The most common side effects that may be encountered with receiving the vaccine are typically minor and include pain at the injection site, fatigue, nausea, and headaches.
“The RSV vaccine continues to be evaluated in ongoing studies to make sure that no new side effects are identified,” Telford explains. “In fact, my daughter and I participated in an ongoing research study while I was pregnant. Ongoing studies have helped to identify that the risk of preterm birth once thought to be associated with RSV vaccination is much lower than initially anticipated — around 1%.”
Takeaways
Pregnancy comes with many decisions and vaccines may raise questions for some women. Adding the RSV vaccine to your third trimester checklist is a step to help protect your growing family. It’s also a measure recommended by the CDC to lower baby’s risk of severe RSV disease early on.
Learn more about vaccinations for little ones.
Have questions for an OB-GYN? Find a woman’s care specialist at TexasHealth.org.