Maternal vaccine cuts RSV hospitalisation risk by 80%

The nationwide respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) maternal vaccine program is successfully reducing the risk of RSV-linked hospitalisations among children aged up to six months by around 80%, newly published research suggests.
 
The observational, Pfizer-sponsored study, led by The Kids Research Institute Australia and published this week in the JAMA Pediatrics journal, tracked the impact of the RSVpreF vaccine (sold as Abrysvo) which was introduced as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) in early 2025.
 
It adds ‘real-world’ weight to research published in May, which found the country’s overall RSV vaccine program had reduced RSV-linked newborn hospital admissions by 44% in its first year.
 
The latest study looks only at the impact of the maternal vaccine, focusing on 1012 infants aged up to six months who were hospitalised due to an acute respiratory illness in nine Australian hospitals from March 2025 to February 2026.
 
It calculated the vaccine’s effectiveness by comparing maternal vaccination rates for infants who tested positive to RSV and those who tested negative.
 
It found this stood at 80.8% for reducing RSV-related hospitalisations overall, 77.8% for hospitalisations due to RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease, and 80.4% for preventing severe disease.
 
Researchers also found the biggest impact among babies aged up to two months old – the most vulnerable group – with vaccine effectiveness at 86.3% against hospitalisation for RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease.
 
Of 655 children who met the researchers’ definition of having lower respiratory tract disease, 386 children were found to be RSV-positive, with 29.5% having mothers who were vaccinated. Of the 269 children who tested RSV-negative, 63.6% had vaccinated mothers. 
 
Researchers concluded that findings ‘support the effectiveness of maternal immunisation as a key component’ of the country’s RSV vaccination program.
 
It also noted ‘the greatest benefit’ was seen ‘during the earliest, highest-risk months of life’.
 
Dr Ka-Kiu Cheung, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Antenatal and Postnatal Care, describes the study as ‘very encouraging Australian evidence’.
 
‘This new study confirms that maternal RSV vaccination provides strong protection,’ she told newsGP. 
 
‘As a GP, this is important information we can share with pregnant women and their families.
 
‘When a vaccine is relatively new, it is understandable that some parents will have questions or want to know how well it works.
 
‘We can now say that within a very short period of introducing maternal RSV vaccination in Australia, we are seeing clear evidence that it is protecting babies from severe disease and keeping them out of hospital.
 
‘Real-world studies like these are important for building vaccine confidence, particularly at a time when more families have questions about vaccination.’
 
Her words are echoed by Dr Tim Jones, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Person’s Health.
 
‘It’s really great to see and it’s certainly consistent with what we’re seeing at the coalface,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘We are still seeing just as much RSV in our kids this year.
 
‘What we are not seeing is as many kids needing to go to hospital and certainly not as many kids ending up in intensive care and that is wonderful.’
 
Dr Jones said most families are now ‘very aware of RSV’.
 
‘They all know someone whose baby has ended up in hospital in its first few months of life, and so despite there being some sentiment against vaccination, we are generally not seeing that with RSV,’ he said.
 
‘There is a real willingness in the community to try and do what they can to protect the most vulnerable.’
 
Abrysvo was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in March 2024, with a single dose recommended for pregnant women in the third trimester from 28–36 weeks gestation.
 
It was first offered at no cost on the NIP from February 2025. A related initiative, which is run through the states and territories, offers the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab for newborns who did not receive the maternal vaccine.
 
Despite the success shown by the study, Dr Jones believes there is more work to be done.
 
‘I still think we need to be promoting it more,’ he said.
 
‘What we are still seeing is that there’s a number of pregnant people who are not getting it through the public or private maternity services, it’s just getting forgotten in all the busyness.
 
‘It’s really important that we are still trying to connect to our pregnant patients and make sure at this time of year that they’re aware they can have it and that we’d strongly recommend it to them as well.’
 
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respiratory infections respiratory syncytial virus RSV