Maternal RSV Vaccination Uptake Varied Sharply
MATERNAL RSV vaccination may reduce infant hospitalization, but new data from Dallas, Texas, highlight substantial disparities in who received protection during the 2023 to 2024 RSV season.
The study evaluated women and newborns at a university affiliated hospital during the first season in which maternal RSV vaccination was available to help prevent severe RSV illness in young infants. Among 656 women who delivered from November 1, 2023, through February 29, 2024, and confirmed their vaccination status by telephone survey, only 179 received an appropriately timed maternal RSV vaccine, representing 27% of the cohort.
Vaccination was defined as appropriately timed when administered between 32 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation and at least 14 days before delivery. Women who received doses outside that window were categorized as not vaccinated.
Age, Race, Ethnicity, and Insurance Drove Differences
Maternal RSV vaccination uptake differed significantly across demographic groups. Women younger than 30 years were less likely to be vaccinated than older women. Non-Hispanic White women had the highest uptake, with 128 of 332 vaccinated, or 39%. By comparison, 21 of 137 Hispanic women, or 15%, and 7 of 113 non-Hispanic Black women, or 6%, received maternal RSV vaccination.
Insurance status showed one of the clearest gaps. Women with private health insurance were more likely to be vaccinated than those with public insurance or no insurance. Among women with private coverage, 173 of 462, or 37%, received maternal RSV vaccination, compared with 4 of 177 women with public insurance, or 2%, and 2 of 17 uninsured women, or 12%.
Infant Hospitalization Was Lower After Maternal RSV Vaccination
The clinical impact was notable. Nearly 3% of infants born to unvaccinated women were later hospitalized for RSV infection, while no infants whose mothers received appropriately timed maternal RSV vaccination were hospitalized for RSV.
Maternal RSV vaccination effectiveness against RSV associated hospitalization was estimated at 100%, with a 95% CI of 14% to 100%. The finding was statistically significant, though the confidence interval reflected the small number of hospitalization events.
These results suggest that maternal RSV vaccination can offer meaningful infant protection during the first months of life, while also underscoring the need to improve equitable vaccine access and uptake among pregnant patients.
Reference
Bailey NA et al. Factors Affecting Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination and the Impact on Infant Hospitalization During the 2023-2024 Season in Dallas, Texas. Public Health Rep. 2026;doi:10.1177/00333549261434117.
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