Study shows UK maternal RSV vaccination programme protects babies from severe respiratory illness

Study shows UK maternal RSV vaccination programme protects babies from severe respiratory illness

A new study involving researchers from Queen's University Belfast found that the UK's maternal RSV vaccination programme protects babies from severe RSV illness, a leading cause of infant hospital admissions each winter.

It found that vaccination during pregnancy reduced babies' risk of being admitted to hospital with RSV-related respiratory illness by 61% during the first six months of life.

Protection was even greater during the first three months after birth, when babies are most vulnerable, with a 76% reduction in hospital admissions.

The results have been published in the journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

The UK-wide study was led by a team of doctors and researchers from Queen's University Belfast, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Oxford, the University of Bristol and Leicester Hospitals and University.

It was delivered through the Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI) Network, with infants recruited across 37 hospital study sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

RSV is a highly contagious virus that infects the lungs and airways. While it generally causes mild, cold-like symptoms in healthy adults and older children, it can cause severe illness, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, in infants, older adults and people with underlying medical conditions.

There are currently two proven approaches to protecting infants from severe RSV - maternal vaccination during pregnancy and infant immunisation with the long-acting monoclonal antibody nirsevimab. The vaccine is offered free of charge from 28 weeks' gestation and works by enabling the transfer of protective maternal antibodies to the baby before birth.

The researchers conducted the study during the second RSV season following the universal introduction of the NHS vaccination programme.

They looked at babies admitted to hospital between 2 September 2025 and 31 January 2026. During this period, 1,356 infants were screened for eligibility, 818 were recruited, and 694 were included in the final analysis. This included 429 babies with RSV and 265 babies admitted with respiratory illness caused by other viruses (RSV-negative).

Shaun O'Hagan, Paediatric Infectious Diseases doctor and PhD Student from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen's University Belfast, who co-ordinated the study, explains:

"Every winter, RSV places considerable pressure on families and on the NHS, with thousands of babies requiring hospital care for breathing and feeding difficulties.

"We found that vaccination during pregnancy greatly reduced the risk of babies being admitted to hospital with RSV-related respiratory illness. Put simply, for every four babies who might otherwise have needed hospital care for RSV, three avoided admission because their mother was vaccinated against the virus in pregnancy.

"However, protection at a population-level depends on how many pregnant women are vaccinated. Around 63% of eligible pregnancies in England currently receive the RSV vaccine. In contrast, countries such as Spain have achieved around 90% coverage with the infant immunisation.

"Increasing vaccine uptake during pregnancy would protect even more babies from becoming seriously ill, reduce pressure on hospital services during winter, and improve outcomes for families."

Alongside measuring how well the vaccine works, the researchers also examined why some pregnant women choose to receive the vaccine while others do not. Mothers taking part in the study completed a survey about their vaccination decisions.

The study showed almost one in four women (24%) accepted the routine whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine during pregnancy but chose not to receive the RSV vaccine.

Despite already accepting another recommended pregnancy vaccine, the study showed this group was less likely to believe the RSV vaccine was necessary, easy to access or safe.

Shaun O'Hagan adds:

"These findings suggest some women are not opposed to vaccination in general but may have specific questions or concerns about the newer RSV vaccine. Addressing these concerns through clear information and conversations with trusted healthcare professionals could help increase vaccine uptake and protect more babies.

"Together, these findings provide valuable evidence to help shape future public health messaging and support higher uptake of the maternal vaccine."

Damian Roland, Honorary Professor and Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, and Chief Investigator for the study, comments:

"These studies have demonstrated the power of network studies and have provided evidence both to inform policy on the effectiveness and key enablers and barriers for this vital vaccine."

The BronchStart and BronchStop projects have been funded by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Consortium in Europe, the Wellcome Trust, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Charitable Trust Funds, and the Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity.

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Media inquiries to Sian Devlin at [email protected]

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