Get your RSV vaccination and protect yourself and your unborn baby

Lisa Drummond with Natasha D'Amore

A vaccination to protect newborn babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is now being offered to pregnant women by the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN).

It follows the national launch of the RSV vaccination programme across the country in September and means both Kettering and Northampton general hospitals – which together form UHN – will be offering the vaccination to women who are 28 weeks pregnant and beyond.

RSV is one of the common viruses that causes coughs and colds in winter, but it can cause severe and sometimes life-threatening breathing difficulties in babies with about 20,000 babies hospitalised in England each year with illnesses linked to RSV and about 30 related deaths.

From September 1, 2024, for the first time, women who are at least 28 weeks' pregnant in England will be offered the vaccine. It is recommended all eligible women should take up the vaccination offer as soon as possible and national clinical trials have shown the vaccines are 70% effective at preventing severe RSV infection in infants born to vaccinated mothers.

Northampton General Hospital’s Maternity Lead Immunisation Nurse Leigh-anne Spinelli said: “The aim of the RSV vaccination of pregnant women programme is to reduce the incidence and severity of RSV disease in infants.

“While RSV can occur at any age, babies under one year of age are at the greatest risk of hospitalisation with more severe RSV.

“This vaccination is incredibly important. It can significantly reduce the risk of babies developing the illness at a time in their lives when it can be serious.”

Dr Nick Barnes, Lead Neonatal and Cardiology Consultant at NGH, said: “Over 60% of children are currently infected with RSV by their first birthday.

“Infants aged less than six months frequently develop the most severe disease (bronchiolitis and pneumonia) that may result in hospitalisation.

“We welcome and fully endorse the new RSV vaccine as a potential 'game-changer' in protecting babies against infection and hospitalisation with RSV.'

Maternity Immunisation Lead at KGH, Lisa Drummond, said “Women who are 28 weeks pregnant or more now will be giving birth during the Autumn or Winter when we know there are a lot of coughs and colds around.

“RSV is highly infectious and is transmitted via respiratory droplets through coughing and sneezing and through close contact with an infected person.

“Although most women will have been exposed to RSV in child and adulthood, the antibody levels acquired from natural infection do not provide sufficient protection to their infant.

“Giving women the RSV vaccine from week 28 of every pregnancy will temporarily boost their antibody levels and enable them to transfer a high level of RSV antibodies across the placenta to their unborn child to passively protect their infant against RSV in their first months of life. “

Protection lasts for 6 months, with some data suggesting longer protection.

Ideally the vaccine should be given in week 28 or soon after that, so there is sufficient time for the mother to make high levels of antibodies and for these to transfer across the placenta, including if the baby is born prematurely.

Mum whose baby had RSV supports the vaccination call

A mother whose baby son had to be hospitalised three times because of RSV - is urging women to have the new vaccination to protect their unborn child.

Natasha D’Amore and her husband Joe have two children, Theo 11, and Oscar, 9, and Natasha is currently 37 weeks pregnant with their third child.

She was one of the first in the queue to be vaccinated at KGH because of an experience she had with Oscar who had RSV three times in the first 15 months of his life, which led to bronchiolitis.

Oscar was hospitalised at KGH when he was six weeks old, again at three months, just before Christmas 2015, and again in December of 2016 when he was 15 months old.

Natasha, 31, an auctioneer, said: “I would urge all expectant mothers to have this vaccination because it is so awful and scary to have baby with RSV.

“Oscar had RSV at six weeks old which led to bronchiolitis and then shortly before Christmas he had it again and was very ill.

“He had shortness of breath, was limp, and very dehydrated. He was put on a drip and had to be intubated and was on the Skylark Ward for a few days each time.

“You are so frightened. You just don’t know how long it will last and if he will recover, and every time they get poorly you think the worst - you don’t want to go through this if you can avoid it.

“The vaccination is 70% effective and absolutely any protection that could be offered to reduce the chance of our baby from going through that experience when they arrive is well worth it.”

RSV vaccinations will be offered to pregnant mothers at 28 weeks at both KGH and NGH.

At NGH they are being delivered in the Maternity Day Unit (Area L) and at Kettering General Hospital by the Maternity Immunisation Team who are based near ultrasound reception on the ground floor of Rockingham Wing. Both hospitals will be offering booked appointments to mums as part of their antenatal care and also some drop-in sessions for those over 29 weeks.