Healthcare Provider Recommendations Improve Maternal Acceptance of RSV Immunization to Protect Infants: JAMA
USA: A survey study found that pregnant women and parents of young children generally preferred maternal RSV vaccination to protect infants against RSV infection. Importantly, a strong recommendation from a healthcare practitioner increased acceptance of RSV immunization among participants who were initially hesitant or unsure. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, highlight the need for multifaceted communication strategies, alongside consistent healthcare provider recommendations, to improve awareness, confidence, and uptake of RSV immunization during pregnancy and infancy.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States. Infants can be protected either through maternal vaccination during pregnancy or by receiving an RSV antibody shot after birth. However, gaps in immunization coverage continue to leave many infants vulnerable to severe RSV illness.
To better understand attitudes toward these preventive options, researchers led by Rachael M. Porter from the Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, conducted two concurrent national cross-sectional surveys in April 2024. The surveys included US adults aged 18 years or older who were either pregnant or parents of children aged 0 to 5 years. In total, 1,765 parents and 174 pregnant women participated.
The researchers assessed participants' intentions to receive maternal RSV vaccination during pregnancy or an RSV antibody shot for infants after birth, along with their preferences, concerns, and factors that could influence their decisions.
Key findings from the survey included:
- 55.5% of pregnant women eligible for vaccination reported a positive intention to receive the maternal RSV vaccine.
- Among pregnant women who were hesitant or unsure, 35.8% said they would probably or definitely accept vaccination if it was strongly recommended by a healthcare practitioner.
- 59.8% of parents expressed a positive intention to have their child receive an RSV antibody shot.
- Among hesitant or unsure parents, 27.0% indicated they would likely accept the antibody shot following a strong healthcare provider recommendation.
- Maternal vaccination was the preferred strategy for infant protection among both pregnant women (58.2%) and parents (48.3%), whereas relatively few preferred infant antibody administration.
- The most frequently reported barriers to immunization were limited information about RSV prevention and concerns about safety.
The findings suggest that strong recommendations from healthcare professionals could substantially improve RSV immunization uptake, particularly among individuals who are initially hesitant. The researchers noted that the small number of pregnant participants limited subgroup analyses; vaccination intentions may not reflect actual uptake. They reported that maternal or infant immunization status could not be independently verified.
Overall, the researchers concluded that maternal RSV vaccination was the preferred strategy for protecting infants against RSV. They emphasized the need to improve public awareness, address safety concerns, and reinforce healthcare provider recommendations during pregnancy and early parenthood to increase immunization coverage. Future studies should assess how vaccination preferences change over time and identify effective communication strategies to support informed RSV immunization decisions.
Reference:
Porter RM, Campos I, Shoaib M, et al. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunization Intention During Pregnancy and Infancy. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(7):e2625117. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.25117USA:
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