European pregnant women show openness to maternal RSV vaccination

Presented by

Dr Amy Law , Pfizer, NY, USA

Conference

ESCMID Vaccines 2025

The majority of European women who are pregnant or trying to conceive are open to RSV vaccination, with most preferring maternal immunisation, according to a survey study presented by Dr Amy Law (Pfizer, NY, USA) at the ESCMID Conference on Vaccines 2025 [1].

This cross-sectional, online survey was conducted between November and December 2024 among adult women who were pregnant, trying to conceive, or had been pregnant within the past year. The survey included participants from multiple European countries, including Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Overall, 740 women responded: 55% were pregnant, 30% were trying to conceive, and 15% had been pregnant within the prior year.

Only 45% of participants reported being familiar with RSV, but a majority (68%) said they would likely initiate conversations on vaccination with their healthcare provider. If RSV vaccination was proposed by a healthcare provider, 76% stated they would be very likely or likely to accept immunisation. Maternal immunisation was the preferred method (52%), followed by newborn immunisation (24%) and no preference (17%). Only 7% were not open to RSV vaccination.

When asked which factors would influence their decision on maternal RSV vaccination, the most common responses were vaccine safety (65%), efficacy (51%), immediate protection from birth (40%), and healthcare provider recommendation (37%).

In conclusion, a high percentage of women were open to maternal RSV vaccination, with a clear preference for maternal vaccination over newborn immunisation, indicating strong potential for uptake if offered. The most important drivers of acceptance were safety, efficacy, and immediate protection from birth. “Healthcare professionals can play a critical role in maternal RSV vaccine acceptance through proactive conversations with pregnant women about RSV and available immunisation options,” the authors concluded.

Mendes D, et al. What form of RSV protection do pregnant women prefer: maternal vaccination or newborn immunisation? A cross-sectional study in Europe. 6^th ESCMID Conference on Vaccines, 10–13 September 2025, Lisbon, Portugal.

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