Maternal RSV vaccine halves newborn ICU admissions, says UKHSA

The number of infants admitted to intensive care with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reduced by half after the first full year of the maternal RSV vaccination programme, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)’s RSV annual report, published on 13 August 2026.

Across the 20 NHS trusts taking part in the UKHSA surveillance, there were 63 infants under 6 months age admitted to intensive care units (ICU) or higher dependency units (HDU) with confirmed RSV chest infection in the winter season 2025/2026.

The previous year, the same 20 trusts reported 131 infants aged under 6 months were admitted to ICU or HDU, the UKHSA said.

“This demonstrates the strong impact that the first full year of the maternal programme has had in protecting newborns from severe RSV disease,” it added.

While the maternal RSV programme started in September 2024, its full impact on reducing the number of cases and severity of RSV in infants was not expected to be seen until the winter of 2025/2026, as more pregnant women became eligible over the course of the past year, UKHSA said.

Ashifa Trivedi, neonatal pharmacist and clinical lead at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, said the results were “really encouraging to see”.

“For those of us working in paediatrics, we know just how unwell young babies with RSV can become, and the impact this has on babies, families and paediatric services. This data shows [sic] what effective prevention can achieve,” she said.

Stephen Tomlin, clinical lead for the neonatal and paediatric pharmacy group (NPPG), said: “A 50% reduction in ICU and HDU admissions among infants under six months is a significant achievement and demonstrates the value of protecting babies before they are born.

“Preventing babies from requiring intensive care is one of the clearest measures of success for any vaccination programme, and these findings suggest that maternal immunisation is already delivering substantial benefits for families and the NHS.”

The report also revealed that 61.7% of women giving birth had received an RSV vaccine between March 2025 and February 2026.

Trivedi commented: “There is still more we can do to ensure every eligible woman has the opportunity to make an informed choice about vaccination and that access is equitable across all communities. As healthcare professionals we have an important role in supporting conversations with families, providing clear and trusted information, and helping to address barriers to vaccination so that more babies can benefit from this protection.”

Tomlin added: “While uptake exceeds 60%, thousands of infants remain unprotected each year. Every contact that healthcare professionals have with pregnant women is an opportunity to discuss the importance of RSV vaccination and its role in safeguarding newborns during their most vulnerable months of life… Improving awareness of RSV vaccination during pregnancy should remain a priority across maternity, primary care and pharmacy services.”