Get the RSV Vaccine During Pregnancy to Protect Your Baby
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common cause of hospitalization in newborns. This very contagious virus produces mild cold-like symptoms in some people, but RSV poses a greater risk of severe disease in infants.
Pregnant people can protect their babies. An RSV vaccine called Abrysvo (from Pfizer) is recommended for those who are 32-36 weeks pregnant during September through January. This is why state health officials are urging people who are pregnant to get their vaccine now, before the end of the month.
In August 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Abrysvo, the first vaccine approved for use in pregnant individuals to prevent lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) and severe LRTD caused by RSV in infants. The vaccine protects infants as soon as they are born and lasts until they are at least 6 months old.
A monoclonal antibody product called nirsevimab can be given to protect infants under 8 months who are born during or entering their first RSV season and for infants and children ages 8–19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease and are entering their second RSV season. There is a shortage of this RSV vaccine for infants, so the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is encouraging pregnant people to get vaccinated to pass protection on to their babies.
Resources to Share With Families:
- Vaccines During & After Pregnancy tip sheet in English (LA County Dept. of Public Health)
- Vaccines During & After Pregnancy tip sheet in Spanish (LA County Dept. of Public Health)
- RSV Immunization Facts tip sheet in English (LA County Dept. of Public Health)
- RSV Immunization Facts tip sheet in Spanish (LA County Dept. of Public Health)
Related Webinars
- Get the latest on this and other vaccines from California Hospital’s Director of Infectious Disease in this free online event: Let’s Talk Health: Resolve to be Ready: Vaccinations to Help Prevent Infection at noon on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Register here.
- Watch our recorded webinar on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in L.A. County.
Watch this video from the American Medical Association (AMA) as they discuss the RSV vaccine for pregnancy: